It's My Life
by Siriusgirl1
Summary: AU. Everyone's in school - high school. Misao and her friends are on the school athletics team, which has been losing for a long time. Will they win with the new captain? Will love bloom in the midst of fierce rivalry?
1. School

A/N

HALLO!!! Guess what? It's my first Rurouni Kenshin fic! And do you know what that means? It means this is most probably terrible, and I would _really_, _really_ like to see your comments about what you think of it.

Plan is to make it an Aoshi/Misao fic. Man, I love Aoshi. He's sooooo sugoi and cool and - 

Well, anyway, before I start rambling, here's the fic. Hope you like it. If you don't . . .I'm really sorry ;_;

Oh, and before I go on, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I'd love to, of course, but I don't.

Here it is, chapter one. Enjoy!

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CHAPTER ONE: School

Sunlight poured into the room through the opened blinds of the window. The rays of light outlined the room clearly. Books were scattered all over the little room, along with packets of crisps and water bottles. A brown school bag sat by the door of the room, its flap open. A pair of gloves lay next to the bag, along with a rather thick book. The wooden desk that was facing the room door was covered from side to side with books, papers and paper clips. 

RIIIIIIINNGG! RIIIIIIIINNNGG! RIIIIIIINNGG!! 

The blue alarm clock on the bedside table awoke, trying to wake up the figure lying on the bed. The figure stirred.

"Nnnhh . . . go away," she mumbled, burying her face on her pillow and drawing the bed covers over her head.

RIIIIIIIINNNNGGG!! RIIIIINNNNGGGGG! RIIIIIIINNNNNGGG!!

The alarm clock, it seemed, wasn't giving up. The figure groaned in her sleep.

RIIIINNNGGGGGGGG!!!! RIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGGG! RIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGG!!

Raising her arm slightly, she groped around until she felt the corner of the bedside table. In one fluent movement she punched the alarm clock. It toppled dangerously, and fell over the edge of the table, landing on the floor with a crash. The ringing stopped.

Silence reigned once again. Unfortunately for the sleeper, the mere act of raising her arm to punch the alarm clock had driven some energy into her drowsy brain, which was slowly starting to wake up. 

"That's the last time I set my alarm clock," she muttered, sitting up in bed. Yawning, she stretched her arms, unable to see the time. When her senses had partly woken, she saw the bright light entering the room. Her eyes widened as she looked out of the window, hoping she was imagining things. It turned out she wasn't - the sun was shining brightly up in the sky.

"ARGH! NOT AGAIN!" she yelled, jumping out of bed. Picking up her alarm clock from the ground, she saw that it was 6:49 a.m. She had overslept. AGAIN. Mentally berating herself, she ran towards the en suite bathroom, tripping over her pencil case on the way. Grabbing her towel and a change of clothes, she ran inside the bathroom.

Ten minutes later she was outside, dressed, and was trying to braid her long black hair quickly whilst miraculously packing her bag. Sorting through the mess in her room, she found everything she was looking for, and ran down the stairs. She was SO going to be late. Reaching the kitchen she saw that her mother and grandfather were already eating. 

"Ohayo!" she called, cheerfully. "Kachan, Jiya, I'm really late. Have a nice day. Ja!" Turning on her heel, she ran out of the house.

"Misao! Wait!" called her mother, but it was no use. She was already gone. 

"When are you going to teach her NOT to punch her alarm clock when it goes off?" asked Makimachi Rika's father, Okina. His daughter grinned.

"Whenever _I_ stop punching _my_ alarm clock when it goes off," she said, laughing. Her father shook his head. He should have known.

**

Misao ran down the road as fast as her legs would take her. She knew that it was no point stopping by any of her friends' houses, as they would be at school by now. Glancing at her wristwatch she saw that it was 7:15 a.m. If she didn't get to school before 7:30 a.m. she would be marked on the late register - something she _really_ didn't want to happen as she had been late twice before. Plus, there was the problem of the school rule saying that if a student got late thrice in a term, they would receive a 'late' detention.

She reached the school gates, and was halfway up the stairs when the start of school bell rang. Groaning inwardly, she ran to her class and flung the door open. Sixteen heads turned to stare at her, amazed.

"Not bad Misao chan! Only 57 seconds late!" called a spiky haired boy, grinning at her. Their teacher laughed.

"He's right, you know," he said. "Tomorrow, I expect you to be on time. Got that?" he asked, cheerfully. Misao nodded. Walking towards the back of the class, she took her seat - next to the spiky haired boy. She started pulling her books out. The moment Takashi sensei turned his back to the class, the black haired boy leaned towards her.

"Athletics practice, today after school," he said, softly. "The Inter school tournament's coming up and they want us to be on TOP form." Misao sighed, shaking her head.

"We'd be on TOP form if the girls on the team didn't come just to stare at SOMEONE," she muttered. 

"I know . . . I heard a rumour about a new Captain or something. If it's true, I wonder who it is," mused the boy.

"A new Captain? _New_ Captain?! Who?"

"I told you, I don't know."

"Che. It's definitely not one of us - we're too young," said Misao. "Then who - you don't possibly think - it's . . . _him_?" 

"Makimachi, Myoujin! Save your discussion for later!" snapped Takashi sensei, from the front of the class.

"Gomen, sensei," chorused Misao and the spiky haired boy, at the same time. The boy sitting on the other side of Misao laughed gently. Misao and the other boy glared at him.

"And _what_ exactly are you laughing about, Sou chan?" asked Misao, glaring.

"Yeah, what are you laughing about, Tenken?" asked the spiky haired boy. The brown haired boy raised an eyebrow at them.

"Nothing," he said, simply. 

"I don't be - " Misao was cut short when someone poked her in the back. It was Kamiya Kaoru - one of the few female friends she had.

"Misao, Yahiko! Sshh . . . the whole class can hear you!" hissed Kaoru from behind. Sure enough, Takashi sensei was glaring at them. Plastering a grin on her face, Misao looked at her sensei.

"I was just asking Sou chan if - if we had to give in our chemistry assignment today," she said. "And Yahiko chan - er - Yahiko wanted to know the same thing."

"Is that so?"

"Aa," said Yahiko, giving Misao a high five under the table.

"Some people," mumbled Takashi sensei to himself. Those two ALWAYS managed to get out of trouble with him. One of these days . . . 

**

Conversation in the cafeteria during their morning break was very loud, as Kaoru managed to find out after a week or two at High School. It was _very_ loud, if you were sitting at the same table as Makimachi Misao, Myoujin Yahiko, and Seta Soujirou - although the latter wasn't as loud as the other two. Today's conversation was about the school's Athletics team, which Yahiko, Soujirou and Misao were in.

"Mou . . . I really can't believe it!" growled Misao, staring at her plate.

"Believe what?" asked Kaoru, seated next to her.

"They're having a new athletics captain, and no one knows who the guy is," answered Soujirou, smiling. Kaoru blinked twice. 

"Er - what's so unbelievable about that?" she asked, at last. Two heads turned furiously in her direction and two pairs of eyes - amber and cerulean glared at her. "Wh - what?" she asked, taken aback.

"What? Busu, a new captain is supposed to be _known_. People are supposed to know who the hell he is, and how damn good he is," said Yahiko. "People are not supposed to just take some person's word for it!"

"Don't call me busu!" said Kaoru.

"Kaoru chan, we're not even sure if this person - the new captain - is in school. From what Coach Seijiro was saying, people tend to think that he's a new student or something," explained Misao, reasonably.

"The girls are upset, of course, because the person whom they expected to become captain didn't get the badge," added Soujirou. Kaoru glanced questioningly at him.

"Who did they expect to become the captain?" she asked.

"Duh, Sano," said Misao. Kaoru's eyes widened. What?

"You're kidding right?" she asked. "Why would Sano become a captain? I mean, he's good in sports and all . . . but education wise - "

"Because, out of all the options the school has, he's the fastest and best senior athlete," said Yahiko.

"Not to mention the most good looking," added a voice from behind them. They spun around. Standing behind them, a smirk on his face, was a tall boy. He was rather good looking, with deep brown eyes and hair that stood up - er - interestingly on his head. 

"Good looking? Nah," said Misao, shaking her head.

"What's wrong Sano?" asked Kaoru, seeing the expression on their older friend's face.

"What's wrong? I'll tell ya what's wrong - can I sit here?" asked Sagara Sanosuke, nodding at the seat opposite Misao's. They all nodded. He sat down. "See, I wasn't really expecting the captaincy or anything, but from what Coach Seijiro's just told me, I think the new Captain is transferring here from a different school."

"What? They can't - they can't do that!" spluttered Yahiko and Misao at the same time.

"I know they can't, ahou," said Sano. "But they don't think they can't, so what can we do?"

"That's unfair! They don't even know _anything_ about the new guy - it _is_ a guy right?" asked Misao. Sano shook his head.

"That's the thing. He's apparently one of the best high school athletes," he said. "And he's only got an year left - he's supposed to be in Year 3, which means he's probably 18." Kaoru shook her head. "And get this, they're not _sure_ yet when he's gonna be here. Which means we have to go for regular - and more - practices imagining we're under the reign of a Captain who's not even there. He better come before the Inter School athletics tournament begins. I'll kill myself if we lose to Yukishiro's team again!"

"Heh, you won't be the only one," muttered Misao. No one said anything for a little while, until a shrill female voice yelled outside the cafeteria.

"SANOSUKE! GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE! WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SOCIETY MEETING, INCASE YOU DIDN'T NOTICE!!" All eyes turned to Sano, who closed his eyes.

"Mattaku . . . she just _won't_ leave me alone," he muttered, standing up.

"She?" asked Soujirou.

"Megumi," answered Kaoru, her eyes glinting. Misao chortled. Takani Megumi was considered by some people to be a complete snob. True, she acted like one - most of the time, but she wasn't. Once you got to know her, she was a nice person . . . despite her - er - ways. There was a sort of rivalry/hidden feelings issue that was going on between Megumi and Sano, but neither of them would admit the part about the 'hidden feelings'.

"What are you laughing about, Weasel?" snapped Sano, as Misao chortled.

"Stop calling me Weasel, rooster head."

"Stop calling me rooster head, weasel."

"SANOSUKE!"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," mumbled Sano, walking away. Kaoru sighed as he walked away, followed by stares from the girls in the cafeteria. Poor Sano . . . he should have got the badge. Soujirou pushed his tray of food away from him.

"Misao chan, Kaoru san, you had better finish. The bell's gonna ring soon," he said, seeing their untouched break. The moment he finished his sentence, the bell rang. Groaning, Kaoru and Misao pushed their own trays away from them and stood up. This was going to be a _long_ day.

**

People rushed out of their classrooms as the end of school bell rang at 1:35 p.m., eager to get home and forget about schoolwork for a few hours. Yahiko yawned aloud as he, Misao, Soujirou and Kaoru made their way out of their classroom. They had been given a ton of homework by Takashi sensei.

"Well . . . I guess I'll go home now," said Kaoru, as they walked out of the school building. She generally stayed until her friends finished their athletics practice, but, thinking of the pile of homework she had to do at home, she thought it would be better if she went home straight away.

"Lucky you . . ." grumbled Yahiko.

"Well, you can do the same thing. Just drop out of the athletics team," said Kaoru, knowing his answer.

"I won't even waste my breath on answering that," said Yahiko. Saying bye, Kaoru ran out of the school gates, heading home. Misao, Soujirou and Yahiko headed towards the changing rooms at the edge of the school grounds. After changing into shorts and a t-shirt, they headed towards the racecourse.

"Hmm . . . Coach doesn't look very happy," mused Soujirou, as they caught sight of their coach. He was walking up and down the racecourse, scowling.

"Yo, Seijiro sensei! Something wrong?" yelled Misao as they neared him. His head snapped up.

"Something wrong? Yes! Our Captain will be arriving next week - not tomorrow, as we had thought!" snapped Seijiro sensei, a man who should be somewhere in his forties, but didn't look it at all. He was rather big made, and had a long ponytail of black hair.

"Who's the captain?" asked Yahiko.

"And I wanted to introduce him to the team very soon so that - huh? Oh, Saito Hajime," said their coach. The three children looked at each other. Saito Hajime? Who was he?

"Sensei . . . is he good?" asked Soujirou, suddenly. Seijiro nodded.

"Well, he's not as good as me . . . and if you ask me, I would have put Himura in his place - but the school decided to - "

"Sensei?" The coach looked up, his eyes staring at someone standing behind the three children. His eyes widened slightly.

"If it isn't my stupid pupil . . ." he said, calmly, all traces of anger gone. Everyone turned around. A rather short boy stood behind him, a wide smile on his face. Two things stood out about him; his bright orange-red hair which fell up to his shoulders, and the strange cross-shaped scar on his cheek.

"Long time no see, sensei," he said, smiling and bowing down slightly. Seijiro sensei stared at him. 

"Kenshin!" exclaimed Misao, her eyes widening. Himura Kenshin - now a third year, had been on the athletics team two years ago, and had been their school's fastest athlete. He had taken his second year of high school off, after meeting with an accident and injuring his right leg badly, making it unable for him to walk for a little while. The athletics team and the school had mourned his absence, for he was loved by all. He was always cheerful, unless he got really mad (which hardly ever happened) and - he was just plain sweet.

"Long time no see, Misao," said Kenshin, smiling at her as she hugged him.

"You're back! This year's athletics team's gonna be the BEST!" she said, happily.

"Oro? How come?" asked Kenshin, hugging her back.

"Because we have our fastest athlete back!" said Misao. "Well - maybe second fastest . . ."

"Yeah," agreed Yahiko, patting Kenshin on the back. "Soujiro's become a hell of a lot faster than everyone here." Kenshin glanced at the brown haired boy standing behind Yahiko, the usual smile on his face. Four years ago, when he was 14 and they were 12, Soujirou had been a fast runner, but not someone that stood out exceptionally. He had discovered, however, that Soujirou had a talent in athletics and had suggested that he join the school athletics team to hone his talents. 

Under the training of Shishio Makoto, the deceased coach, Soujirou had improved a lot, so much that he was given the name 'Tenken' or Heaven Sword after the rurouni who lived in Japan during the Meiji Era. _Tenken_ was the second best swordsman in Japan; his speed being something that NO ONE could match, except for the Hitokiri Battousai. 

"I'm glad to here that, Soujirou," he said, smiling at the younger boy. "I always knew you had a special talent." Soujirou turned red.

"Ari - arigato, Kenshin," he said. Their coach sighed. True, Soujirou _was_ the fastest athlete they had, but his stupid pupil didn't need to go and tell him that! Luckily the boy didn't have an ego at all, so the new information wouldn't effect him.

"Once you've finished reminiscing, I'd like to start our practice," he said, aloud. Nodding, they followed him to the center of the racecourse where the rest of the team were already standing.

"About ti - KENSHIN!" yelled Sano, seeing his best friend walking behind the coach. Seijiro rolled his eyes. Great. Kenshin grinned at Sano and walked up to him holding out his hand. The two exchanged high fives.

"How have you been Sano?" asked Kenshin.

"Brilliant. And you?"

"As good as I can be," answered Kenshin, quietly. Hiko Seijiro frowned at his pupils' change of voice. Something was wrong. 

"Kenshin! Minna, it's Kenshin!" cried everyone, laughing. After a full five minutes of exchanging greetings, Seijiro sensei cleared his throat loudly.

"Right. That's enough for now," he said, sternly. "Announcement no. 1: Our new Captain will be arriving in a week's time. Announcement no.2: We have a new vice captain - Himura Kenshin."

"Wow!"

"Why couldn't he have been made the captain?"

"Yeah! He's good enough!" Kenshin turned red. 

"Oro - I'm not that good . . ." he said, scratching his head. Yahiko grinned.

"Modest, as always," he said.

"Oro?"

"ANNOUNCEMENT NO.3: From today onwards, we have practices for two and a half-hours after school, everyday," yelled Seijiro sensei, glaring at Kenshin who merely grinned at him. "AND I won't listen to ANY complaints. We're here to win, and if you can't handle the training, don't bother staying. Now, get into groups of four and take your places. Makimachi, Myoujin, Seta and Sagara take the 4 into 100 meter race, Sawakita, Yoshihiro, Kamei and Arizuka take the 2 into 100 one. Oka, Ikanji, Hessha, and Taoka take the 100-meter race. Now."

"HAI." Everyone hurried off to where they were told to go. Kenshin stood by his sensei's side, smiling.

"Everyone's changed . . . yet they're still the same as well," he said. Seijiro sensei ignored him. He didn't have the time to pay him any attention. Not when Misao and Sanosuke had just started beating each other up.

"SAGARA! MAKIMACHI!" he yelled, furiously. They both turned towards him at once.

"Gomen!" they yelled, turning back to what they were supposed to be doing.

"Oro . . . " muttered Kenshin, scratching his head. People actually listened to Seijiro sensei?

"IKANJI! FASTER! RUN LIKE THAT AT THE TOURNAMENT YOU'LL NEVER FINISH IN A DAY!" yelled Hiko Seijiro. "And yes, Kenshin, people actually listen to me."

"Oro?! How did you know -?" Kenshin didn't need to finish his sentence. He had known Hiko Seijiro ever since he was nine years old, when his parents died in a plane crash. Hiko Seijiro had become a sort of second father to him, though he would never admit it. Of course his sensei would know what he was thinking - especially since he had never listened to him when he was small.

"Stupid pupil," muttered Seijiro sensei, rolling his eyes. "THAT'S RIGHT, SOUJIROU! KEEP IT UP!" 

Kenshin smiled as he looked around the racecourse. It felt good to be back . . . where he belonged.

A/N

Well . . . I hope that was okay. Problem is, I need some names of actual Rurouni Kenshin characters, who would be perfect for the rival team of Kenshin and company. I just put Enishi there temporarily since I didn't know who else to put. Please, please suggest some names!!

And please review . . . pretty please? With Aoshi on the top?

Till next time ^_^

Siriusgirl 


	2. New home

A/N

Hello!!!! Thank you SOOO much for the reviews, everyone! I was soo happy . . . ^_^ Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! And sorry for keeping Aoshi away!!! He's here though!

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I - Wuv-Muffins : Yes, I originally put it so that they finished at 1:35, coz that's the time my school finishes after starting at 7:30. Of course, the days they (just like my school) that they have after school classes, they have to stay till 4:00 p.m. Thanks for the review! 

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Shin-no-shibo : Firstly, thanks for the list of names. I was wondering whether I should include Enshi or not as I don't know _every single_ detail about what happened in the manga, but I really have no other option. Besides, I can change it a bit, can't I? Secondly, I realize that there was no Aoshi in the first chapter. Should I have included him? I didn't because I wanted to outline the typical school day of Misao, Yahiko and the gang . . . He's in this chapter though. And thanks loads for the review ^_^

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LstCharmed1: Thanks for your review! I'll do my best for K/K, as I was planning on giving them a little bit of the spotlight as well. Hope you like this chapter! Thanks for the review!

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Poppy2: THANK YOU!!!!!! Yes . . . imagine, Saito as the captain . . . don't worry, Aoshi's in this chapter. Thanks for the review!

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Kashii: Thanks for the review and encouragement. Hope you like this chapter!

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MoonPhoenix: * drumroll * enter Aoshi ^_^ thanks for the review!

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KeNsHiN: Yes, there will be a bit of k/k along with A/M. Thanks for the suggestion (Katsu). Thank you for your review! Hope you like this chapter!

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Dragowolf: Aoshi's here! Hope that pleases you . . . (of course, anything with Aoshi in it pleases me . . .^_^;) thanks for the review and I hope you like this!

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Dynast: You got your wish! ^_^ Aoshi checks in here . . . thanks for the review!

Well, here it is, chapter two . . . hope you enjoy this!

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Chapter Two: New Home

He looked around the room once more, making sure that nothing was left behind. Satisfied, he closed his suitcase and zipped it up. He was done. Lifting the suitcase up, he walked towards the door and opened it. Before walking out he took one last look at the room he had spent almost his whole life sleeping in. The pale walls were bare, having been stripped of their notices and posters, the cupboard stood open revealing it's empty interior and the bed stood clean and immaculate at the center of the room. The wooden desk was lacking its usual books and pencils. Nothing left in the room suggested that a once boisterous eighteen-year-old boy had lived there all his life. Then again, nothing about him suggested that he had been boisterous.

Turning his back to the desolate scene, he walked into the hallway closing the room door behind him. Without glancing at the room opposite his, he dragged his suitcase down the hallway and down the stairs. As he neared the living room, he heard voices of two people arguing.

"I'd love to take him in, honey, you know that," said a female voice, sounding pained.

"I know that, but why do you want to send him away then?" asked a male voice.

"I'm not sending him away! I'm taking him to his remaining family!"

"I thought we were his remaining family?"

"We are! But he has - he has _other_ relatives . . . other close relatives."

"If you're talking about whom I _think_ you're talking about, I'm putting my foot down. That woman isn't responsible at all. Surely, _you_ of all people should know that?"

"She is not the type of person you think she is! Besides, it was - it was Yuu chan's last wish . . . and I promised him I would do my best! I'm NOT going to break that promise to my brother -never!" There was a small pause. He chose that moment to inform them about his presence.

"When are we leaving?" he asked in his usual voice. The two adults spun around, caught off guard. 

"Ao - Aoshi," said the female, smiling up at him. He didn't say anything. 

"Leaving? We'll be leaving now," said the male, looking sideways at his wife as she nodded.

"Well, if you're sure you've finished, Aoshi, we'd better get going," said the lady.

"Yes Aunt Kazuko," said Aoshi, his blue-green eyes showing them no emotion as he looked around the living room. Sighing, Aunt Kazuko and her husband followed him out of the living room and to the front door.

"We'll leave you to gather your thoughts, then, Aoshi," said his aunt, walking towards the car that was parked in front of the house. Aoshi stood on the doorstep, looking around the house. His eyes roamed every corner of it, as though trying to memorize every detail. After a few seconds, he stopped and dragged his suitcase to the car.

"Finished so soon?" asked his uncle, surprised. He nodded wordlessly as he put his suitcase in the boot and got inside the car. He saw his aunt turn around in her seat to look at him before the drove away. He said or did nothing, choosing to stare at his hands instead. He knew she expected him to say something - to feel something. Little did she know that there was nothing left in his heart to feel anything. He continued staring at his hands as they drove away, leaving the place he had once been able to call 'home' behind.

He had no idea where he was going, or what they were going to do with him. He supposed he should be grateful if his aunt and uncle were going to let him stay with them, but, after hearing their conversation in the living room, he doubted that he was going to be staying with them. Shaking his head, he glanced at the building flashing past. He didn't care where they were taking him . . . not anymore . . . 

****

Kashiwazaki Residence

She hopped out of her room, humming to herself. She was rather proud of herself. She had finished _all_ her homework AND had managed to catch a few hours of studying at the same time. Her grandfather wouldn't consider it as anything much, but for her, it was a big thing. 

A week had passed since Kenshin had rejoined their athletics team, and everyone was already feeling a difference in their attitudes, as they become slightly more positive about the upcoming tournament. The only thing that dampened their excitement slightly, was the fact that they knew nothing about the new captain that was supposed to train them from tomorrow onwards. She herself couldn't help but wonder if the new captain - Saito Hajime - would be . . . nice . . .

"Quit that, baka. Think positive. Who knows, he might be just like everyone else," she told herself, hoping she was right.

She was almost down the stairs when the phone rang. She jumped down the remaining few steps running towards the phone. Her mother got to it first.

"Moshi moshi, Kashiwazaki residence," she said, brightly. "Hai, hang on." Turning to Misao, she held out the receiver to her. "It's Kaoru chan." Misao took the phone from her mother, wondering what was up to make Kaoru _call_ her, when all she needed to do was to jump over the fence that separated the Kamiya and Kashiwazaki residences.

"Kaoru chan? It's m - "

"You _won't_ believe what a good week this has been for me! You didn't even tell me, you horrible girl! I was so shocked!" came Kaoru's voice, sounding breathless. 

"Er - Kaoru? You okay?" asked Misao, a question mark appearing beside her head.

"Okay? I'm - I'm FINE! The best I've been in a long time! Oh, he's still the same cute guy he was before!" sighed Kaoru. "I missed hearing his 'oro's soooooo much . . ." It finally dawned on Misao what her friend was going on about.

"Ahh, Kenshin," she said, trying not to laugh at how stupid Kaoru sounded - especially when she was going on about Kenshin. 

"Yes, Kenshin. Who else did you think it was, Yahiko?" snapped Kaoru.

"I dunno . . . speaking of Yahiko, you _did_ like him at one point, didn't you?"

"MISAO!!!! I NEVER LIKED YAHIKO! DON'T EVEN SUGGEST SOMETHING LIKE THAT! IF ANYONE HEARD YOU - " Misao held the receiver away from her ear, watching as her grandfather walked past her, his eyebrow raised. 

"Kaoru, I get the point, I'll never mention - KAORU, I WON'T MENTION IT AGAIN, SO SHUT UP!" she yelled, stopping her friends' yelling.

"Good. Now, what was I saying? Ah - yes, a we're going to Sano's place for the weekend - after you guys finish your _precious_ athletics practice, of course," said Kaoru, emphasizing on the precious. "It'll be you, me, Yahiko, Soujirou, Kenshin, Megumi - she might come, we don't know, and of course, Sano himself . . ."

Misao tuned out Kaoru's voice, her face falling. There was no way she was going to be allowed to go with them . . .

" - Misao? Misao?" 

"Er - yes, I'm here," she said, uncomfortably.

"Good. We're going to be celebrating Kenshin's arrival as well. We'll just be watching movies and stuff . . . you know, all the usual stuff we do when we get together," continued Kaoru. "We girls will be getting the room next door to Sano's parents . . . according to Sano's mum, and the guys will be getting the downstairs room. It's gonna be so much fun, don't you think so, Misao?"

Misao didn't feel quite so cheerful anymore. She felt her stomach squirm.

"Kaoru chan, I - I need to go now. I'll call you back later, ok?" she asked, suddenly. 

"Go? Now? Oh, if you say so. Okay, see you," said Kaoru. "And you will come, won't you?"

"I'll - I'll try. Bye," said Misao. She put the phone down, sighing heavily. She knew, even without asking, that she wasn't going to be allowed to go. 

"Misao? Are you okay?" asked her mother who was about to walk into the kitchen when she 'heard' Misao say she needed to go and hung up on Kaoru. Misao turned around, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she said. Her mother frowned.

"You'll have to do better than that to fool me young lady," she said. "Speak up." 

"Kachan, everyone's going over to Sano's place after practice tomorrow - for the weekend. Kaoru chan wanted to know if I could - if I could come . . ." said Misao, watching as her mother's face softened.

"Oh. Oh Misao . . . I know what you're thinking - I'd love to let you go . . . but you have to - "

" - Ask Otosama for permission?" finished Misao, rather sourly. Her mother nodded.

"I'm sorry darling, I know you don't want to ask him . . . but - well, you know what'll happen if I let you go without him knowing," she said. 

"Yeah . . . don't I know what'll happen," muttered Misao, turning around abruptly. She dragged her feet up the stairs and into her room, feeling miserable. Her mother stared after her, sorrow welling up inside her. She really wanted her daughter to be happy . . . but she was powerless against her husband - Misao's father.

****

The next day, after school:

Everyone was murmuring as they made their way to the racecourse. They were murmuring, of course, about the new captain who was supposed to be there that day.

"Do you know what he's like, Kenshin?" asked Yahiko, looking at their red headed friend. Kenshin did his best to smile brightly.

"Er . . . not really," he said, causally. 

"What do you mean 'not really'?" asked Sano, immediately.

"I don't er - know him really well," said Kenshin.

"Liar. You know ALL about him, Ken san," said Megumi, popping out of nowhere, right next to Kenshin.

"Oro?"

"Ken san, come on, tell me, what is this new guy like?" she asked, linking his arm with hers. Glancing at Kaoru's face, Misao grinned to see that it had turned green.

"Heh, kitsune, get your hand away from him, or things are gonna get violent," said Sano, smirking at Kaoru.

"Why?" asked Megumi, moving closer to Kenshin who turned red.

"Oro?"

"You are so cute, Ken san," said Megumi, giggling.

"EXCUSE me, Megumi san, but I happened to be walking next to Kenshin first," snapped Kaoru, walking in between them.

"Really? I didn't see you. Did you, Ken san?" asked Megumi.

"Er . . . yes, I believe I did . . . " said Kenshin, scratching his head. Megumi's eyes flashed.

"Oh." Soujirou, Yahiko, Sano and Misao shook their heads. 

"OI! YOU FIVE! GET YOUR ASSES HERE!" yelled the voice of Hiko Seijiro. They all ran up to join the crowd that had formed a large circle around him.

"I can't see him . . ." muttered Misao, trying to peer over the head of a taller athlete.

"I can glimpse black hair," said Soujirou, who was slightly taller than her. "What can you see, Sano?"

"A tall guy with black hair who looks like a slimeball," was Sano's abrupt reply. Kaoru laughed.

"A better description, Sano?" she asked. 

"That's the only good description I can think of," said Sano, frowning slightly. 

"Kenshin? Where are you?" called Seijiro sensei, scanning the crowd for the vie captain.

"Over here, Sensei!" shouted Kenshin, waving his hands. He was beckoned forwards.

"Kenshin, I heard you've already met Saito Hajime," said Seijiro sensei, glancing at him. 

"Hai, sensei," said Kenshin, looking at the new captain. He was tall - much taller than him, and had short black hair. His yellow eyes were glancing mockingly at Kenshin.

"Long time no see, Himura," he said, sneering. 

"Same goes for you, Saito," said Kenshin, forcing a smile. The tension that had formed in between them didn't go unnoticed to Seijiro sensei.

"Right, everyone, this is your new captain, Saito Hajime," he said, looking around the team. "He is experienced in what he has to do, so I warn you that if you don't do whatever he says, there will be trouble." Everyone nodded slowly, looking cautiously at Saito.

"Man, he looks evil," said Misao, as the person who had been obstructing her view moved away from her and she caught her first glance of the new captain.

"Humph . . . you'd think they'd chose someone good looking," huffed Megumi. "I mean, why do we have to have a captain that looks like a - like a wolf's backside, when Toriyami's captain Yukishiro looks like a dream boy?" The people standing around her glared at her.

"You think Yukishiro's good looking? You need glasses, kitsune," said Sano, scowling at her.

"And how do you know what a wolf's backside looks like anyway?" asked Kaoru. 

"It was a figure of speech, darling, a figure of speech," said Megumi, as everyone laughed at her.

"Can we keep it down, please? Before Seijiro sensei loses it?" pleaded Soujirou, sounding very distressed. Sure enough, their coach was glaring daggers at them.

"AS I WAS SAYING, Saito will be marking the register in a few minutes, to find out who is who. Afterwards, we will get into the groups of four we were in before and start practicing, while he checks up on you. Got that?" he asked.

"Yes," chorused everyone, not particularly anxious to be 'checked up on' by Saito. Seijiro sensei handed Saito a large brown book - their register. After discussing something for a while, Saito opened it and started reading the names out.

"Arizuka Shihiro." A short, rather plump boy walked up to him hesitantly. Kenshin bit his lip as he saw the smirk on Saito's face as he surveyed the boy. He knew what Saito was probably thinking, and he didn't like it at all. Luckily, he didn't say anything to Shihiro - due to the reason that Seijiro sensei was standing with them.

Misao hopped from one foot to the other as Kamei Kyoko was called up. She was next. She couldn't stop herself from feeling nervous.

"Makimachi Misao."

"Good luck," whispered Kaoru as she watched Misao walk forwards slowly. She stopped when she was right in front of Saito. Kenshin, who was standing behind him, smiled encouragingly at her. Saito sneered as he looked at her. She was of average height, and looked light - a good quality for an athlete. As he looked at her, his mind screamed the word 'WEASEL' over and over again.

Misao scowled as he sneered at her. She knew, from then, that she wasn't going to like their new captain very much.

"Get lost," muttered Saito, at last. "Myoujin Yahiko." Glaring at him, Misao walked past Kenshin to where people were waiting for Saito to finish going through the register.

"Sano was right. You _are_ a tall, black haired slimeball," she thought to herself.

****

At the same time:

He stood outside the house with his aunt and uncle, wondering who it was that lived here. Sneaking a glance at him, his aunt raised her hand and rang the bell. Aoshi could feel the tension between his aunt and uncle, even as he stood behind them. The door was opened.

"Konnichiwa - " The lady stopped in mid sentence as her eyes went from his aunt and uncle towards him. 

" . . . Kaeri?" asked his aunt, tentatively. The lady's blue eyes widened.

"Kazu - Kazuko?" she stammered, placing her hand over her heart. Kazuko smiled at the black haired lady.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Kaeri?" she asked. The lady's eyes turned towards Aoshi, taking in his tall frame, black bangs and ice blue eyes. Aoshi stared coolly back at her. 

"Kaeri - can we come in?" asked his aunt, suddenly. The lady tore her eyes away from Aoshi.

"Of course - sorry - come in," she said, stepping aside to usher them inside, her eyes falling on Aoshi as he entered last. Closing the door behind them, she led them into the living room. There were framed pictures in the living room - pictures mostly of a black haired girl. What surprised Aoshi slightly, was the fact that some part of the girl's face looked like - looked like his. That couldn't be . . . could it?

They sat down - Aoshi in between his aunt and uncle, and the lady opposite the three of them. Nothing was said for a few minutes.

"That's your daughter, Kaeri?" asked Kazuko, having noticed that Aoshi had been looking at the pictures in amazement. The lady nodded, a small smile reaching her lips.

"Yes, Kamiya Kaoru," she said, smiling. She obviously loved her daughter a lot - something, which Aoshi, who had no mother he knew of, was quick to notice. 

"I know you must be wondering what we're doing here, Kaeri," said Aunt Kazuko, sighing as her husband glared at the lady. She nodded.

"Yes - not that I mind, but - after all this time - I just wondered - " Her voice broke off as her eyes landed on Aoshi again. Dark blue eyes locked into ice blue ones, trying to figure out what was going on.

"You wondered? That's a surprise. To think you remember us, when you left your - when you left him behind," snapped Aunt Kazuko's husband, narrowing his eyes at the lady. Aunt Kazuko glared at her husband.

"I'm - I'm sorry . . ." whispered the lady, looking down at her hands.

"Please ignore Tooru, Kaeri," said Aunt Kazuko. "He's still - well, he doesn't understand . . ."

"I understand quite well, Kazuko, to realize that this - this woman has no heart. If she had, she wouldn't leave - "

"Tooru that's enough!" snapped Aunt Kazuko, clenching her fists. "That's enough!" Aoshi glanced from his uncle's angry face to his aunt's angrier one, mentally yelling at them for bringing him here if all they were going to do was yell at each other and the lady whose house they were seated in.

"I'm afraid he's right, Kazuko," said the lady, laughing softly. "I don't have a heart . . ." Aunt Kazuko shook her head.

"You're not heartless. I know that, my brother knew that, and you should know that." Aoshi glanced at his aunt as she mentioned her brother - his father. Did this lady have anything to do with his father? The lady sighed heavily.

"Kazuko," she started, looking at Aoshi. "If you don't mind me asking - "

"You want to know who he is?"

"Yes." Aunt Kazuko smiled.

"Aoshi, I'd like you to meet Kamiya Kaeri. Kaeri, meet . . . Shinomori Aoshi . . ." Kamiya Kaeri clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes growing wide. Aoshi stared at her, as coldly as usual. Was there something wrong with him? Kazuko frowned when she saw Kaeri's eyes start to fill up with tears as she stared at Aoshi. 

"Shinomori . . ." whispered Kamiya Kaeri, her eyes full of tears. "Kazuko . . . Yuu - Yuuji . . . did anything happen -?" Aoshi contended himself with staring at the dull red carpet near the sofa they were sitting on. Questions were hurtling through his mind - how did this lady know his father? What were they doing here in the first place?

"He - his cancer fi - finally caught up with him . . ." he distantly heard his aunt whisper, before attempting to tune their conversation out. He heard another gasp.

"N - no . . . he - why didn't - I didn't know . . ." said Kamiya Kaeri, a tear flowing down her cheek as she understood what they were doing here with Aoshi. Shinomori Aoshi . . .

"Kaeri, you understand now what we're doing here, don't you?" asked Kazuko, looking imploringly at the black haired lady. "You know what I'm - what I want to ask of you, don't you?" 

"You - you want me to look af - but my husband and daughter - "

"Kaeri, he has no other home to go to - no other relative to stay with!"

"He has - he has you - "

"I told you it would be useless, Kazuko. She has no sense of duty - or honour. She doesn't care what would happen to him! I don't know about you, but I've heard enough. I'm going. He's staying with us," half-yelled Uncle Tooru, snapping Aoshi out of his distant thoughts. They had wanted him to stay with - with a person he knew NOTHING about? His uncle stood up to leave. His aunt stared pleadingly at Kaeri.

"Kaeri please - he has no one else . . . he needs - he needs you, Kaeri . . . he needs what he missed out on, seventeen years ago!" she said, softly, her voice quivering. 

"Kazuko I - don't make - please Kazuko . . . you don't understand - I - "

"Kazuko! Are you coming or not? Come on Aoshi, we're leaving!" Aoshi half stood up, ready to follow his uncle, his mind whirling with questions, not really understanding what was going on. What did he miss out on seventeen years ago?

"No! Aoshi, wait!" called his aunt, pulling on his hand. 

"Aoshi, Kazuko, COME ON!" exclaimed Uncle Tooru, grabbing Aoshi, who was torn between listening to his aunt and waiting, or listening to his uncle and leaving. His eyes rested for a brief second on Kamiya Kaeri. Her blue eyes were wide with shock and grief as she stared at everyone in front of her.

"No Tooru - Aoshi - Kaeri, please. Think about Yuuji - what would he have wanted you to do? Are you going to deny Aoshi the only living soul that he is a part of?" asked Kazuko, her voice shaking. Kaeri let out a dry sob.

"Aoshi, we're going," said his uncle, walking away from the sofa and heading towards the hallway. Aoshi looked from his aunt to the lady in front of him, wondering what in god's name he was supposed to do. Uncertain, he took a small step forwards. His aunt's hand on his fell away, as though she was accepting defeat. She glanced reproachfully at Kaeri.

"I thought - I thought you would have cared," she said, holding back tears as she too started to stand up. Uncle Tooru had almost reached the hallway, Aoshi half way behind him, when Kamiya Kaeri spoke.

"He - he stays." There was a pin drop silence as the two words echoed in everyone's heads. A smile started to form on Kazuko's face as she realized what her friend was saying. Aoshi halted in silent shock. He didn't even know who this lady was, and they wanted him to stay with her? Uncle Tooru turned around slowly, as though daring for the lady to repeat what she just said.

"He stays," she said, closing her eyes. " - Aoshi stays here."

"Kaeri!" exclaimed Kazuko, greatly relieved. Kaeri didn't respond immediately.

"My husband will not let me keep him here - if he knows who he is . . ." she said, quietly. "I will refrain from telling him about - about the truth. He may stay as the son of a - of a very good childhood friend of mine."

Uncle Tooru looked suspiciously at her.

"How do we know you'll treat him well? How do we know that you won't throw him to the dogs once we leave?" he asked. 

"I - I have my own sense of honour just like you do, Saito san," she replied, coldly. "I do not throw helpless children to the dogs - regardless of what other things you may think I do." Aoshi could tell that his uncle was taken aback.

"Kaeri - you're doing the right thing," said Kazuko, walking up to her and hugging her. She said nothing. Pulling away, Kazuko looked at Aoshi, smiling. He averted his eyes from her smiling face, not understanding what was there to smile about upon hearing the news that a complete stranger was going to take care of him - unless - his eyes widened at the thought.

__

Unless they don't want you in their house . . .

He knew that it was a stupid thought. He didn't really care much about his uncle, but his aunt - his father's elder sister - had been a motherly figure to him, since he didn't have a mother he knew of. He knew that his aunt wouldn't even think of such a thing - about leaving him with a stranger . . . but that was the only explanation he could come up with . . .

Uncle Tooru sat back down on the sofa. After a few minutes of silence, he glanced at Kamiya Kaeri.

"Right. Yuuji gave me - gave me instructions about what to do - on financial matters," he said, his tone becoming very business like.

"I don't want money for looking after my s - " Aoshi glanced at her, ever so slowly. Had she been about to say what he _thought_ she had been about to say?

"I know you don't, but I don't think your husband will be willing to pay for your 'best-friend's' son's education, do you?" asked his uncle, slowly. "Yuuji knew of the problems that you two might face - he's left everything for Aoshi's education, personal purposes . . . and some for you."

Her eyes widened in surprise. She couldn't help it. Yuuji . . . even after all those years . . . he had left her part of his - she blinked back her tears.

"I will take the money for Ao - Aoshi's education, but not the rest. I will keep that aside for Aoshi," she said, firmly.

"But - "

"He left it for me, you said?" Uncle Tooru nodded. "Good. Then I decide what to do with it - leave it for Aoshi." Kazuko smiled gently as she watched her nephew's face cloud over while listening to everything that was going on. She knew, after eighteen years of being with him, that he wanted to know what the hell was going on, but didn't want to show that he cared about what was happening. He reminded her of his father - her brother . . . her late brother . . .

She closed her eyes, still smiling. She felt that she had kept her promise - the last promise she had made to her brother as he awaited the darkness to conquer him.

__

Yuu chan . . . where ever you are, I just want to say that it's happening - at last . . .

A/N

Well???? I hope it was okay . . . . shivers anxiously please, please, review and tell me what you think. I hope this was up to what you wanted it to be . . . 

Thanks for the reviews, once again! 

siriusgirl


	3. Meeting

A/N

Thank you sooooooooo much for all the reviews! Pause, as author blows her knows on a tissue 

I really, really, really love you guys!!!! ^_^; 

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Oni: Thanks a lot for the review! Your story is _very_ interesting, by the way!

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KeNsHiN: Well, Aoshi _is_ her half brother . . . and about Saito - heh heh heh . . . you'll find it gets clearer later on! Thanks a lot for the review! I hope things get a bit clearer for you in this chapter . . . if not, tell me and I will do my best to make stuff clearer!

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Queen of Shadows: Oh dear . . . I meant that he was 'boisterous' when he was a little kid - around 4/5 years old. Well, thanks for your review!

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Poppy2: Fall in love with Misao, yes . . . have lotsa babies? ^_^; well . . . i'm not sure ^_^ thanks for your review and hope you like this chappie!

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Kashii: Yep, they meet here! Thanks for your review and hope this is good!

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MoonPhoenix: Yes, pure Aoshi and Misao goodness! ^_^

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StarPrincess Sakura: Thanks for your review. I hope this chapter makes stuff a little clearer for you!

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Nobody: Thank you! Thank you! Hope this chapter's ok!

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ice demoness: Hope you like this!

I hope this chapter satisfies you, although I must warn you, it's a bit long . . . ok, fine, it's rather long . . .

Before I forget, here's the disclaimer: I own Aoshi and other RK characters . . . in my treasured _dreams._

Here you go . . . enjoy!

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Chapter Three: Meeting

"Chicken brain. Chicken brain?! I'll show him how much of a _chicken brain_ I am!" cursed Sano, as they walked out of the school gate after being released by their captain.

"You're complaining about that? He called me a 'brat'!" exclaimed Yahiko, scowling in annoyance. "A _brat!_"

"What's wrong with that? He's just telling the truth, ya know," said Sano, smirking. "Brat . . . I wonder why I never thought of calling you that . . ."

"Ask yourself that, _chicken brain_," snapped Yahiko, wiping the smirk off Sano's face.

Kaoru and Megumi wisely kept their mouths shut. They were sensible enough to realize that their friends had had a bad practice, and needed to let off some steam - without their own wise comments. Kaoru glanced at Misao, who seemed to be rather quiet - a feat that was _highly_ unusual for Misao.

"Misao chan?" she asked, softly, making sure they were out of earshot of everyone else. "Is something wrong?" Misao shook her head slowly.

"No . . . nothing's wrong," she said, smiling brightly at her. "I just - feel tired, that's all."

"Oh." Kaoru didn't believe her at all. Firstly, Misao never got tired, and secondly, even if she _was_ tired, she wouldn't be so quiet. Misao frowned inwardly when she saw that Kaoru's eyes were still on her. She didn't want to hurt her friend or anything, but she just didn't feel like talking to her now . . .

"Kaoru chan? You better go to Kenshin before Megumi snatches him from right under your nose," she said, seeing Megumi pulling on Kenshin's arm in front of them. That caught Kaoru's attention all right. Her head snapped around and her face turned a strange purplish/red colour as she saw what Megumi was doing. Muttering under her breath, she stomped towards them. 

Misao let out an involuntary breath she didn't know she had been holding. She didn't understand what was wrong with her - she had been fine during the practice (if you counted bubbling with anger towards their new captain 'fine') but the moment practice had ended . . . she had started to get rather grumpy . . . 

She racked her brain, trying to remember what had made her so grumpy. It hit her. _Sano's house_. Everyone was going there now . . . everyone except her. She sighed. It was always like this. She hung out with her friends, and everything went smoothly until they talked about a 'spend the night' event - that was when things started to go downhill for her. Her mother was fine with 'spend the nights,' and she knew that even though there would be boys present, that they were good boys. Her mother liked Sano, Yahiko and Soujirou anyway, and no parent in the neighbourhood hated Kenshin. 

Then why couldn't she go to Sano's house that day? Well, her _mother_ would allow her, but her father wouldn't - at all. Why was that a problem? Her parents weren't living together. They weren't divorced, for some strange reason, but they weren't living together. Her father paid for her education, and her mother looked after her. Her father never was the type to let her go out with boys, even though they were just friends of hers - he wanted to keep her cooped up at home doing nothing but studying. That was one of the reasons why her parents hadn't gotten along well in the first place - her mother wanted freedom to talk to friends and neighbours, but her father wouldn't allow it. 

"You can't come to Sano's, can you, Misao chan?" asked a gentle voice, snapping her rather alarmed out of her thoughts. It was Soujirou. He was walking beside her, looking at her concernedly. As she looked into his blue eyes, the first thought that came into her mind was to make up an excuse, but what was the point? Soujirou knew all about her family anyway.

"No I can't," she said, looking away. 

"Misao chan, you don't need to worry so much," he said, soothingly. "You can always come for a few hours and go early - without spending the night." She shook her head.

"He won't let me, Sou chan, you know he won't," she said.

"Isn't there anything that you can do?"

"No." There was a short silence, where Soujirou berated himself for not being able to do anything to help he and Misao stared at her feet, mournfully. She was never going to be able to get a life - never. An arm made its way around her shoulders, pulling her into a casual sort of embrace.

"You're thinking about it too much," said Soujirou, smiling at her. "Forget it. So what if you can't come? We're not gonna desert you just because you're not allowed to come for spend the nights. That's what you thought we'd do, ne, Sao chan?" Misao nodded.

"Yeah . . . I guess you're right," she said. "But how am I going to - "

"To what?"

"Tell the others?" Soujirou chuckled.

"They may be called hags, foxes, chicken brains, brats and rooster heads, but they're not _dumb_ Misao chan," he said. "They're going to figure it out very soon, you know."

Problem no. 2: No one, except for Soujirou knew what was going on with Misao's family. Yahiko had some idea of what was going on, and she was sure that Kaoru was guessing it, but other than that . . .

"I know . . ."

"Misao chan, it's not a sort of crime to have your parents separated," reasoned Soujirou. "You don't need to be ashamed of it. It happens to some couples - it's not really something outrageous."

"You'll say that, but do you think that their parents will say that? Do you, Sou chan?" asked Misao, somewhat bitterly. "No, they'll think that a girl whose parents are separated but not divorced will lead their own children astray - they'll want all connections with me cut. And all I need to make my life _even better_ is for that to happen." Bitterness coursed through her veins, as she knew that what she said was true. She knew it, and she knew Soujirou knew it.

__

"My parents won't say that," said Soujirou, rather weakly, unable to think of anything else to say. Before Misao could stop herself, she said what she was thinking.

"That's because you don't _have_ parents, Sou chan," she said. Soujirou stiffened - Misao could see it and feel it. Her eyes widened. "I didn't mean - Sou chan, I didn't mean to - " His arm dropped from around her shoulders and lay by his side. His head was bowed slightly, hiding his eyes from her view. She mentally cursed herself. Here Soujirou was, trying to make her feel better, and what had she done? Hurt him - by reminding him of the fact that he had no parents.

"Sou chan I didn't - " Soujirou started walking faster. "Sou chan - "

"I know I don't have parents, Misao chan," he said, quietly, his face turned away from her. "That's why I think you're lucky that your parents are just separated - at least you have _both_ of them. Something which I don't." He walked past her, towards Sano, Megumi, Kenshin, Kaoru and Yahiko - all of whom were watching the two of them, curious expressions on their faces.

"Oro - what's going on there?" asked Kenshin, scratching his head.

"A fight?" suggested Megumi.

"A fight? A _fight_ between weasel and tenken? Nah . . . they'd never fight," said Sano, puzzled.

"Then why did he suddenly just walk off?" demanded Megumi.

"I don't know! Why don't you try asking him, I'm sure that his answer will satisfy you," retorted Sano.

"Change of topic minna, he's coming our way," said Yahiko, as Soujirou stopped in front of them. A watery smile was on his face, clearly trying to show them that nothing was wrong. One look into his eyes told Kenshin that something _was_ wrong. 

"We should get going, ne? If we want to make it to Sano's place today," said Kenshin lightly, seeing everyone staring at Soujirou. 

"Hai," said Kaoru, watching Misao walk dejectedly behind them. They came to a set of crossroads where the left one led to the street where Misao and Kaoru lived, and the right one went in the direction of Sano's house.

"Umm . . . guys? I'm - I'm stopping here," said Misao, tentatively as she noticed everyone heading for the right. They all stopped and turned to stare at her - except Soujirou.

"What? Aren't you coming? Misao!" wailed Kaoru, realizing that Misao wasn't planning on coming with them.

"I'm really, really sorry, but I can't come today," said Misao, twirling her black braid in her fingers.

'But why?" asked Megumi, surprised. "It's just going to be us - no outsiders."

"I know - it's just that . . ." Misao broke off. What could she say? "Er - Jiya and Kachan want me to work some shifts at the Aoiya just for this weekend." Five sets of unbelieving eyes stared at her, making her uncomfortable.

"You really expect us to believe that?" asked Kaoru, staring hard at her. Misao desperately wanted to reply "uhh . . . no," but knew that that wouldn't do. She chose to nod her head instead. Kenshin sighed as he looked over his friend. Was it just him, or were his friends starting to act rather strange?

"Try and come by when ever you're free, Misao chan," he said, smiling reassuringly at the younger girl. "Ok?" Misao nodded eagerly, glad that Kenshin hadn't questioned her further.

"You can't just let her go like that! We'll speak to your mother," said Megumi, sounding rather angry.

"NO!" exclaimed Misao. Everyone stared hard at her. "I mean - Kachan really does need the help she can get . . ."

"But she - "

"Leave her alone, Megumi san," said Soujirou, suddenly. "She really wants to come as well, but she really wants to help her mother at the same time. We should get going now anyway . . . ja, Misao chan." Misao beamed at Soujirou as everyone stopped glaring at her.

"Ja."

"Well, we'll see you - if you can come," said Kenshin. "Ja."

"Ja, minna." They all headed towards the right. Kaoru glared at Misao before she followed them.

"I know you're lying, Misao chan," she said. "Well . . . see ya." Watching the retreating backs of her friends for a while, Misao turned around and walked down the other street.

She was deep in thought as she passed the Kamiya residence, failing to catch sight of the figure leaning by the gate and taking deep breaths of fresh air. A few steps passed the Kamiya residence; she reached the fence around her house and jumped over it. Lights were on in her house, making everything seem cheery. The sight usually cheered Misao up . . . but not today. She was fed up of everything - of her life, of her lies . . . 

He took a deep breath of the crisp evening air. He had always loved the cold evening air - always. He had been at the Kamiya residence for a few hours now, and he had already fallen into his almost mechanical behaviour. He had spent the past couple of hours in his 'room', trying to figure out why he was staying at the Kamiya residence in the first place, and why his aunt felt that Kamiya Kaeri was 'a relative' of his. 

After mentally running through everything that had happened earlier in the morning, he had come to a number of conclusions - each as absurd as the next. Conclusion no. 1 was that perhaps Kamiya Kaeri was an _actual_ relative of his . . . perhaps a distant relative who had been banished from the Shinomori family for doing something or the other. No, that didn't sound quite right to him. If she _was_ a distant relative, why would he have to stay with her? Why not stay with his 'immediate' relatives - Aunt Kazuko and Uncle Tooru and their family?

Conclusion no.2 was that he wasn't his father's son. Maybe he had been the son of another man and woman (Kamiya san?) and they had put him up for adoption or something and Shinomori Yuuji had picked him up to be his own son. That thought alarmed Aoshi very much. It didn't _sound_ right . . . but it explained the reason why Kamiya san was his 'relative' and the fact that her daughter looked a little like him. Then again, that would have to mean that Kamiya san had had two relationships - either during the time she was married to her husband, or before. And _that_ would have to mean that she was his - he almost choked - mother, and that she had left him alone all this time, not giving a damn about what happened to him.

Conclusion no. 3 was that his aunt and uncle just didn't want to look after him, so they made up the whole thing to make him think she was a relative of his. That would _also_ mean that his father (since he had apparently already 'planned' for the 'financial' matters) approved of the fact that he was supposed to go and live a complete stranger. That didn't sound right at all. He had quickly banished that conclusion from his mind. Aunt Kazuko would never do that to him . . . neither would his father.

And for the grand finale, was conclusion no. 4. 

The last conclusion he had come up with, happened to be the one that made the most sense to him. His father had somehow had an affair with Kamiya san, and he was the result of it. Kamiya san, after giving birth to him, had disappeared and got married to her husband and had later had Kamiya Kaoru - the girl whose pictures were hung up on the wall of the living room. Everything that had happened so far that day fit in perfectly with this conclusion. When Kamiya san had said: _"I don't want money for looking after my so-" _earlier, he had been sure she was about to say 'son' but stopped herself for some odd reason. Then there was the fact that she knew his father, didn't know he died, was left money by his father, and the big fact that his aunt had promised his father to take his son to Kamiya san after he died.

He closed his eyes for a few minutes, concentrating on his breathing. His mind went blissfully blank - deprived of all thought about his problems and the conclusions he had come up with. Everything was quiet. He heard footsteps walking past him - quick footsteps - yet he didn't open his eyes. His mind was basking in the calm and quietness of the 'world' his concentration had taken him into, when a voice snapped him out of it.

"Aoshi san? Aoshi san!" He turned around slowly. It was Kamiya san. She was standing beside the front door, staring at him with a hand on her hip. "Don't you realize that it's _cold_ out there, young man? Do you want to get frozen? Come inside . . ." Silently, Aoshi walked briskly towards the entrance to the house, stopping in front of Kamiya san.

"Gomen, I didn't realize it," he said, softly, before he walked past her, in to the house. She stared after him for a second, her eyes glazed. She didn't know what she had expected from him . . . but she knew that she hadn't expected her son to be so cold . . . then again, he had been through much to make him that way. She followed him inside, closing the door behind her.

Aoshi was walking up the stairs. 

"Aoshi san - wait," she said, suddenly. He stopped halfway up the stairs and turned around to face her. "Er - why don't you sit down for a minute? I have - I have somethings to ask of you . . ." Wordlessly, he walked back down and sat down on the couch that was nearby. He didn't know why, but he always felt the urge to guard himself - to guard his thoughts whenever he was around her.

"Yes?" he asked, somewhat coldly.

"Er - do you remember anything - anything at all - about your mo-"

"I'm home!" Kamiya san and Aoshi glanced up at the same time. They heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway.

"Anata." Aoshi glanced quickly at Kamiya san, who was staring in to the distance, her expression unreadable. 

"Kaeri? Kaeri, you hom - ah! There you are," said a deep, masculine voice, as a figure entered the room. He was tall - though he was a little shorter than Aoshi - and had dark brown hair. There were deep creases on his forehead as he looked at his wife and the stranger in the living room. "Who's this? A friend of Kaoru's?"

"No, this is . . . the son of one of my friends," said Kamiya san, gently. "How was your day, anata?" The man glanced at Aoshi, frowning slightly.

"What's he doing here? Is he staying for dinner?" he asked, curtly. Aoshi felt the strong urge to get up and leave, but knew that if he did so, Kamiya san would have a lot of explaining to do - to him _and_ her husband. Not that he minded . . . but if he was going to be staying here, he might as well not get on anyone's bad side. Kamiya san glanced fearfully at Aoshi before answering her husband.

"Can we discuss this somewhere else, anata?" she asked, quietly. "Aoshi san . . . dinner will take some time to be prepared . . . why don't you amuse yourself until then?" Aoshi got the hint. Getting up, he slowly walked up the stairs, wondering why in gods' name his life was so messed up. He was about to go inside the room he was staying in, when he heard a loud exclamation from downstairs.

"HE WHAT?! WHY HERE?! CAN'T HE STAY SOMEWHERE ELSE?!"

"Hisashi, calm down! And please, lower your voice," he heard Kamiya san plead, before entering his room and closing the door.

****

Meanwhile:

She sat at her desk, her damp hair cascading down her back, after having a bath a mere half-hour ago. Books were spread open in front of her as she tried to do her homework. Peering at her notebook, she started ticking off the homework questions that she had managed to answer. Once she had finished that, she saw that she only had two more questions to answer, and then she would be free for the rest of the weekend.

"Let's see . . . answer questions 12 and 17 on page 348 of Modern World History," she read aloud. History homework - her favourite subject. She scanned her desk for her history textbook, but couldn't find it. It was too early for her to panic about having lost it, so she proceeded to look through her drawers. She still couldn't find it. Getting up, she opened her bag and searched it, still not finding it. It was time for her to look through her whole room - a task that seemed more like a nightmare to her. She looked everywhere she could think of; under the bed, in the wardrobe, under the mattress, behind the curtains, under her table - even in the cabinet in the bathroom - but she still couldn't find it. She sat back on her heels beside her bed, looking thoughtful.

"Mou, Misao chan! Where the hell did you keep it?" she asked herself. She remembered taking the book to school the other day, she remembered taking it out of her bag and - "Aha! You gave it to Kaoru chan when she forgot her book! Sou ka, Kaoru chan has it!" She stood up, sighing. Time to pay a visit to the Kamiya residence. Pulling a hair band out of the dresser, she tied her hair in a low ponytail, not bothered to plait it. She walked downstairs, meeting her grandfather on the way.

"Misao chan, dinner will be ready in another two minutes," he said, smiling warmly at her. She smiled weakly back at him, still feeling a little grumpy about not being able to go to Sano's place. She walked outside, deciding that she would be able to get her textbook and be back home in two minutes. Reaching the fence that separated the two properties; she jumped over it and headed towards the front door of Kaoru's house.

*

He heard his room door being opened slowly, and didn't bother to get up. Soft footsteps walked up to his bed. He turned on his side, knowing who it was and not wanting to face her again.

"Aoshi san, dinner is ready," said Kamiya san, blinking at his silhouette in the dark room. There was no reply. "Aoshi san?" Still no reply. She sighed. "I know you're awake, Aoshi san, so please, stop pretending. Dinner is ready."

"Why am I here when I'm not welcome?" His cold voice ricocheted around the room. There was a small silence.

"You _are_ -"

__

DING DONG

"Argh . . . I'll get it," muttered Kamiya san, hearing the doorbell ring. "Aoshi san, please forget whatever it is that you just heard and come down for dinner. Please . . . that is all that I ask of you." With a last look at his silhouette on the bed, she walked out of his room and down the stairs, heading towards the front door, and leaving a very troubled Aoshi behind. He ran a hand through his black hair, letting the bangs fall back over his eyes. He didn't like whatever was going on at all. He'd give anything to be at his aunt's house at this moment, even if it meant living under the same roof as his slimeball of a cousin, Saito Hajime. 

These thoughts on his mind, he got up from the bed and headed towards the room door.

*

"Kamiya - Misao chan!" exclaimed Kamiya san, seeing the black haired girl standing on the doorstep. "I thought - I thought you were going to Sano's place today?" Misao flushed.

"Yes - demo Kachan and Jiya - er - wanted me to work some shifts at the restaurant this weekend, so I couldn't go," she said, looking away from Kamiya san.

"Oh I'm sorry," said Kamiya san, smiling at the girl. "Please, come in. Would you like to have dinner with us?" Misao shook her head, politely.

"Iie . . . thanks. Kamiya san, Kaoru chan has one of my textbooks and I need it to do some homework," she said. "Do you think it'd be okay if I went upstairs and got it?"

"Of course it would be okay. I am guessing that it's your history textbook?" asked Kamiya san, suddenly.

"Uhh, yes. How did you know?"

"Kaoru refuses to take it to school because it's too heavy to carry around," said Kamiya san, smiling at the look of indignation of Misao's face.

"W - what?!" she spluttered. "I - I _always _give her the book and pretend that _I_ forgot to bring _my_ textbook - and all this time she doesn't bring hers because it's too - too _heavy_?!!"

"Why, yes. I believe she has you nicely tricked, Misao chan," said Kamiya san, grinning. "You know what that means don't you? You need to teach her a lesson." A grin found itself on Misao's face.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Kamiya san?" she asked, evilly.

"If you're thinking about getting her into trouble, then you're thinking what I'm thinking," said Kamiya san, equally evilly. They grinned at each other.

"Well, I'll be sure to do my best, Kamiya san," said Misao, laughing. 

"What are you two conspirators planning this time?" asked Kaoru's father, walking towards them. Kamiya san stiffened as her husband approached. Misao watched warily as Mr. Kamiya ignored his wife for a while.

"Planning on paying Kaoru chan back for making me get into trouble for nothing," said Misao, rather nervously. 

"I thought you were going to Sanosuke's house today?"

"Yes - but I have to work extra shifts at the Aoiya this weekend," said Misao, looking away again.

"Oh . . . you should take Kaoru with you one day - it would do that girl some good to learn how to cook," said Mr. Kamiya. Misao grinned. That was true - Kaoru _did_ need to learn how to cook.

"We've been telling her that, but she - erm - believes that she can cook rather _well_ already, without any extra lessons and gets rather _violent_ when we tell her otherwise," she said. "But I'll try to get her to come with me - and get her to bring her history textbook to school."

"Yes, you do that," said Kamiya san, as Misao excused herself and walked upstairs.

She walked upstairs, past the spare room and Kaoru chan's parents' room, standing with her back facing the second spare room, whilst she stood in front of Kaoru's room. She laughed at the sign on the door - the sign that she had made for Kaoru - which read: 'Beware! Explosives inside!'

She was about to open the door, when she heard the door behind her opened. She turned around slowly. As far as she knew, Mr. Kamiya, Kamiya san and Kaoru were the only people that lived in the house, and she had already met them downstairs.

__

It's just the wind, Misao chan - nothing else. No one else lives he - 

She stared in shock at the tall figure in front of her. Before she could stop herself, she screamed.

"ARGHHH!!!"

He opened his door, to find someone standing with her back towards his room. The room he was staying in, he corrected himself. He watched as she spun around and winced as she screamed in shock.

"Mou - what's taking him so long?" muttered Kamiya san, as she sat in her seat, waiting patiently for Aoshi to come down. Her husband was glaring at her, wanting to start his dinner. It was a thing they always did at the Kamiya residence - they never ate until all people that were in the house were seated at the dining table - whether they were guests or relatives. "You go ahead and start eating Hisashi, I'll go and call hi - " 

"ARGHHHHH!!!" She stopped in mid-sentence as Misao's yelp of surprise reached the dining room. She stood up, having a sinking feeling that she knew what was going on.

"I'll - I'll be right back . . ." she said to her husband, walking out of the dining room and up the stairs. She was sure that Misao must have seen Aoshi in some way and must have got scared - after all, as far as Misao knew, only three people lived in their house.

* 

She stared at him wide-eyed. Her first thought was that he was a burglar - an intruder. His eyes were covered by long black bangs, making it difficult for her to see them although she caught snatches of ice blue. Was he a burglar? He seemed to be about Kenshin's age - he certainly dressed like it, wearing a long sleeved white t-shirt and baggy khaki coloured cargo pants. Her insides grew cold as he looked at her, rather surprised. If he _was_ a burglar . . . she was _soo_ dead . . .

He stopped short in front of his room door, staring at her. The first thought that came into his mind was that she was Kamiya Kaoru, but one _proper_ look at her told him that she wasn't. She most certainly didn't look like an intruder - dressed in a pair of faded, _very short_ denim shorts and a dark blue t-shirt that bore the slogan 'dyn-o-mite.' She was also staring at him in shock.

She didn't know why, but she couldn't take her eyes away from his face. She felt all fuzzy inside - something she couldn't explain at all. Who was he?

~ 

Kamiya san reached the landing upstairs, in time to see Aoshi and Misao staring at each other. One look at Misao's face told her that she thought he was an intruder, and one look at Aoshi's face told her that he was wondering who she was. She cleared her throat, seeing that they were too - er - _preoccupied _in staring at each other.

"Ahem-"

"ACK!" 

"......" Misao's heart went back to its normal breathing rate as she saw that it was only Kamiya san. Aoshi glanced questioningly at Kamiya san.

"Misao chan - did you find the book?" asked Kamiya san, smiling at her.

"Er- no . . . I was going to do that . . . gimme a second . . ." said Misao, turning red. She opened Kaoru's room door and walked inside rather hurriedly. Kamiya san turned her gaze towards Aoshi.

"Dinner's been ready for a while, Aoshi san - aren't you coming down?"

" . . . I was about to when - " he nodded in Misao's direction. 

"Oh. Why don't you go downstai -" A loud thump from Kaoru's room cut her off. Both she and Aoshi turned towards the opened room. At first, all that Aoshi could see were pink walls cluttered with posters and clothes lying all over the place on the floor. Kamiya san shook her head as she spotted Misao. She was lying face down on the floor having tripped over something.

Misao spun around, glaring at the object that had caused her fall. Her eyes widened as she saw what it was. Underwear - a pair of pink underwear. She rolled her eyes.

"Mou Kaoru chan, keep your underwear in the _drawer_ not on the _floor_!" she mumbled, getting up and walking towards the table.

Aoshi glanced at Kamiya san who had turned slightly red.

"Er- my daughter isn't - isn't the _neatest_ person in the world," she said, looking at her feat. "No doubt you can see that." Aoshi nodded slowly. Yes, he _could_ see that. They both said nothing, until Kamiya san looked up at him again. "Why don't you go downstairs? I'll come down with Misao chan." Shrugging, Aoshi walked past her towards the top of the stairs and disappeared. She turned back towards Misao, who was busy moving piles of paper away from Kaoru's desk.

"Did you check the drawers, Misao chan?" she asked, walking into the room.

"Yes, but it wasn't - AHA!" she raised her arm in triumph, holding a rather thick grey book in her hands. "Found it!" Moving the piles of paper back into their original place, she walked towards the exit, switching off the lights. She glanced around her, surprised to see only Kamiya san.

__

Hmm . . . he must have gone downstairs then . . .

Kamiya san noticed Misao glance around in surprise, and smiled.

"He went downstairs - for dinner." Misao looked at her.

"Oh . . . I was wondering where he wen - er - came from," she said, hurriedly, squirming as she saw Kamiya san smile wider at her.

"Did you think he was a burglar?" she asked. Misao grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah, I did," she said. "But then again, he looked too good to be a bur -" Kamiya san was positively grinning at her as her face turned red. "I didn't mean that! I meant - I meant that he looked too young to be a burglar! Yeah- he looked too _young_!" exclaimed Misao, in defense.

"I never said anything, Misao chan," said Kamiya san, smiling as Misao twirled her ponytail of damp hair around her fingers. Something she understood the girl did when she was nervous. Misao turned pink.

"Er - I should get going now . . . Kachan and Jiya must be wondering where I am," she said, starting to walk forwards. Kamiya san nodded and walked beside her. They were halfway down the stairs, when Kamiya san spoke again.

"Hisashi's in the dining room, incase you were wondering," she said, referring to her husband. Misao never left the house without saying farewell to both the Kamiya parents.

"Oh - thanks," said Misao, as the question she had been about to ask was answered for her.

" - Along with the person who looked too good to be a burglar," said Kamiya san, chuckling as Misao's face turned into a colour that strongly resembled a tomato.

"Ka - KAMIYA SAN!!!!" she wailed, staring at her. "I didn't mean that! I meant that he was too - too honest looking to be a burglar!"

"I thought you meant he was too _young_ to be a burglar?" asked Kamiya san, her eyebrows raised. 

" - I - I meant that too . . ." stammered Misao as they reached the last step. Smiling, Kamiya san headed towards the dining room. Aoshi was seated opposite Mr. Kamiya - next to Kamiya san's own seat. He hadn't touched any of the food yet. Mr. Kamiya put his fork down as he saw Misao enter the dining room.

"Ah, Misao chan, not staying for dinner?" he asked, seeing her.

"Er, no . . . I have to go back soon," said Misao, not looking at the grinning Kamiya san.

"I see. Well, come again when you feel like it," said Mr. Kamiya. "Oyasumi."

"Oyasumi, Mr. Kamiya," said Misao, bowing slightly. She felt her face turn warm as she glanced at Aoshi who was sitting opposite Mr. Kamiya. Hurriedly straightening up, she turned towards Kamiya san.

"Thanks for letting me get my book," she said, seeing the _knowing_ smile on her lips. "Ja, Kamiya san."

"Ja, Misao chan," said Kamiya san. "And if I find anymore of those good looking burglars, I'll let you know." Misao looked horrified up at her as Mr. Kamiya and Aoshi stared at them.

"I - I don't think I would care, Kamiya san," she said, smiling at her before walking down the corridor. She closed the front door behind her.

"Huh? What was that all about? Good looking burglars?" asked Mr. Kamiya, looking questioningly at his wife.

"Oh, that's just a secret between the two of us," said Kamiya san, taking her seat beside Aoshi. "Go ahead Aoshi san, help yourself." She smiled to herself as she remembered Misao's red face as she mentioned the fact that Aoshi looked _too good_ to be a burglar.

__

Heh . . . you've let on more than you know, Misao chan . . .

*

Misao ran and jumped over the fence that surrounded her grandfathers' property. She couldn't believe that she had thought he looked too good to be a burglar - and she had said it to Kamiya san too! What if he was a relative of theirs or something? Oh, she'd kill herself if Kaoru found out! She was Makimachi Misao - the weasel girl who never fell in love (at least, that's what everyone thought she was like). Fine, maybe she had _liked_ a few people . . . but she hadn't gone beyond that. True, there were anime bishonen that she had been obsessed with - but they weren't real, were they? 

Besides, she scorned the idea of love. Every where she looked, there were examples of the disastrous events love could cause. 

She entered her house, the delicious aroma of her mother's food reaching her the moment the stepped in. She walked hurriedly towards the dining room, well aware that at least 15 minutes had passed since her grandfather had told her that dinner would be ready soon.

"There you are!" exclaimed her mother as she entered the dining room.

"Gomen for being late, Kachan," she said. "I had to get something from Kaoru chan's place." She sat down and started to pile food onto her plate.

"How was athletics practice today?" asked her mother, who came home an hour after Misao every day, and missed asking her about it. "How was the new captain?" Misao made a face.

"Well, he might be experienced, but he's a _slimeball_!" she said. 

"I take it he insulted you?" asked her Jiya, dryly.

"Yes! He called me a tomboy and a weasel called Sano a chicken brain and Yahiko a brat. The only person he didn't insult was Sou chan!" said Misao, heatedly. Her relatives exchanged soft smiles. "So, anything interesting happened at the Aoiya?" asked Misao, referring to her grandfathers' restaurant.

"Well . . . not really," said her mother.

"Unless of course you count that rather tall young man that came for lunch," said her grandfather. "The one that Okon and Omasu had a fight over." Her mother chuckled.

"Ah, yes . . . him," she said.

"What? Who?" asked Misao.

"This young man that came for lunch, was found by Omasu and Okon to be rather attractive," said her mother. "And they had an argument over who should serve him."

"Who ended up serving him?" asked Misao, grinning.

"Shiro," answered her grandfather. "Much to their annoyance, but they _were_ taking an awfully long time in arguing." She chuckled. Trust Omasu and Okon to fight over guys.

*

After having dinner, Misao ran up the stairs to her room. She decided to finish her homework that day itself. Sitting down at her desk and hunting around for a pen, she opened her history textbook.

She had just started answering the second question, when her concentration was broken by the sound of the phone ringing. Moaning, she placed her head in her hands. She was never going to be able to get her concentration back. Checking the time on her clock, she saw that it was 10:23 p.m. She hadn't known that time had flown so fast! Closing her textbook and exercise book, she decided to call it a day. She had done enough work for that day anyway. 

Moving towards her window she opened it wider, allowing the crisp night air to billow inside her room. She caught a glimpse of light inside one of the Kamiya's rooms as she looked forward and her mind reeled back rather unwillingly to what had happened at the Kamiya residence. The burglar. She shook her head, trying to shake away the thought of 'good-looking' burglars. Try as she might, she couldn't get rid of the picture of long black bangs and ice blue eyes from her mind. She was disgusted with herself.

"Sheesh . . . you're acting as though you're in love with the guy or something, baka!" she reprimanded herself. "Besides, you don't want to become like Kachan and Otosan, do you?" She constantly kept on reminding herself of the situation her parents were in . . . the result of their 'marriage'. They had been in love, but where were they now? In the depths of their hatred towards each other. She sighed.

"Love is _not_ your thing, Misao chan. NOT your thing . . ." she said aloud, before turning away from the window and climbing into bed, all thoughts of the spend the night the others were having, gone.

A/N

Well, that _was_ very long . . . and I'm sorry if I bored you to death. I re-wrote the part about Misao meeting Aoshi about twice, and I don't know if this is ok . . . hope it is, coz I didn't want to make everything seem a little _too_ much . . .

Please, please review . . . and tell me what you think of it, and what I should do (in your opinion)

See ya soon!

Siriusgirl


	4. NOT CHAPTER 4! Author in need of a littl...

Hallo!!! It's me again! This is not chapter four, this is just . . . a question for everyone. Before I ask the question, I'd like to thank the following people for their reviews:

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Arisonu: Thank you for your review _and_ for your compliments! Not to mention your big bag of yummy cookies! They were delicious! ^_^; Gosh . . . I feel glad that you think so . . . ^_^ Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'd love to hear your opinion on my two questions (below). 

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Seri chan: Thank you. I'm glad you found it cute . . . I was hoping it would be good. Would you mind taking time to answer my question? (below) ^_^ i'd love to know your opinion.

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JT: Thank you! Your opinion is most welcome!

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Ice Demoness: Thank you! Thank you! Please help me with my question! (below)

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Lilfrozenfire: Thank you! Can you please, please, help me with my question below?

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Kitsune KeNsHiN: Yep, Saito is Kaoru's half cousin. I'm happy to hear you liked the chapter! laughs maniacally in glee ^_^; Hmm . . . does Kaoru find out about Misao? We'll see, we'll see! Thanks for the review! And feel free to give me your opinion on my question that i can't seem to sort out!

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Poppy2: You got that right, he's welcome to rob me anytime too! ^_^; thanks for the review . . . and please, please, please give me your opinion on my problem if you don't mind!

Okay . . . the question. See, I'm sort of having mixed opinions about Aoshi's school and I would really like some help. Do you think he should go to the same school as Misao, like what I originally wanted to happen? If he does, he can meet Misao practically everyday (at school and also considering the fact that they live next door ^_^). 

Or do you think Aoshi should go to the same school as Yukishiro Enshi and hence be a rival of everyone else? He'll still be able to meet Misao since they live next door. I'm sort of stuck on this issue. If anyone has any comments, I'd LOVE to hear them . . . 

Please, please tell me what you want from the above two options so that I can continue with chapter four. 

Thanks loads! ^_^

See ya soon

Siriusgirl


	5. New Student

A/N

Thank you sooooo much everyone for helping me! All your suggestions were brilliant . . ^_^ And they helped - A LOT!

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Queen of Shadows: Thank you! Yes (about the Saito part) and no at the same time . . . ^_^ you'll see! And thanks once again! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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kitten kisses: I'm one of your favourite authors? blush gosh . . . thanks! And you like my story? Thanks! It might seem that it's 'easy' at first, when Aoshi's in Misao's school . . . but trust me, he's not going to be there for long - just to start their soon-to-be love relationship (like what Poppy2 said!). Thanks for your suggestion! And thanks for the review! Hope you like this chapter!

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Seri chan: Your suggestion was interesting and sensible. I mixed it (your suggestion) with a few others, such as Poppy2's and Arisonu's. Thank you and I hope you like this chapter! ^_^

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Dynast: You wanted the rival school one right? Well, after reading this chapter, don't worry . . . you'll get the rival school thing too . . . ^_^ Thanks for your suggestion, and as for ending up in a match . . . _very_ interesting . . .

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Ice Demoness: That can be added too! Thank you . . . though it might come in a few later chapters . . . hope you like this chappie! ^_^

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Lilfrozenfire: Thanks for the suggestion . . . yes, the rival school thing _does_ work always doesn't it? It'll happen . . . sometime or the other . . . ^_^ I'm afraid you'll have to read on to find out! ^_^;

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Nobody: grins Thank you! I'm soooooo happy . . . you made my day ^_^; and _no_ I'm not lying! Poppy2's idea _was_ VERY interesting, wasn't it? Hope you like this chapter!

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Poppy2: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Oh, did I forget to say thank you? ^__^ That was really, really interesting! Honestly - I'm not lying. It'll happen . . . with a _little_ stuff changed, and at different points in the story. Thanks a lot for your suggestion. Mixing it up a bit with a few others, I think I've managed to sort out the problem. Thanks, and I hope you like this.

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Dragowolf: Thank you! Here's the update, though it's a little late . . . gomen! Hope you like this! ^_^

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Water demon3: Thank you ^_^ I used yours and Dragowolf's ideas too! Thank you!

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Kitsune KeNsHiN: You're right. When he goes to - er - forget I said that . . . ^_^; * ahem * yes, he shouldn't be a rival of everyone's - that'd make him all alone even though he'd have his darling Misao with him ^_^ Thanks for your suggestion! Hope you like this chapter!

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Amy: Yes . . . different school will appear as well - sometime! Thanks for the suggestion. I must admit that I didn't really understand what you were saying about Soujirou and Aoshi . . . I'm sorry . . . I might be a bit thick ^_^ Do you think you could tell me what you meant? If you don't mind, of course! Enjoy this chapter! ^_^

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Arisonu: You are _so_ right - about high school rivalry. Definitely. Yes, if Aoshi and Misao's love can survive amidst that type of rivalry, it has _got to be_ real . . . not to mention very deep. Thanks! Hope you like this chapter!

Once again, thank you EVERYONE, for helping me out. I wouldn't have been able to do this chapter without you guys! ^_^ (am I starting to sound a bit sentimental? Gomen if I am!) ^_^;

Anyway, here's chapter four! Enjoy!

****

Chapter Four: New Student

Saturday passed rather quickly for Misao. Her 'excuse' about working shifts at the Aoiya did indeed come true. Omasu had high fever and couldn't work so Misao was asked to just step in temporarily for her. After seven hours of work, Misao was starting to wish that she hadn't agreed to help. 

Sunday dawned quickly.

*

Kaoru opened the front door of her house, smiling. She was rather tired after hanging out with her friends, but she was also very happy. As she lifted her right hand to close the door behind her, she remembered a little incident that had happened whilst they were watching TV. 

****

Flashback to Sano's house:

__

Sano and Megumi had gone to get the popcorn whilst Soujirou and Yahiko were trying to figure out which video they should watch. She had been sitting with her back against the wall in the far corner of the room when Kenshin sat down beside her. 

"You look thoughtful, Kaoru san," he said, smiling his trade mark smile, as he settled down beside her.

"Thoughtful? Oh no . . . " she managed to say, noting that his hand was a few inches away from hers.

"I never knew how much I missed this place . . . and the people . . ." said Kenshin, smiling as she glanced hurriedly at him.

"Well, at least you know now," she said, smiling. "And I mi - uhh . . . many people here missed you too." She turned red and looked away from him. 

"I know they did, Kaoru san. I know they did." She didn't dare look at him again, in fear of blurting out more than he needed to know. Sano and Megumi entered the room with rather large bowls of popcorn and packets of crisps. Seeing Sano struggling to balance everything (considering the fact that Megumi was only carrying two packets of crisps) Kaoru made to stand up. She was eager to get up not only to help Sano, but also to stop herself from telling Kenshin that she . . . well, telling him more than he should know. She was almost up when she felt someone grab her right hand. She turned around, knowing whom it was. Her face was warm.

" . . . I missed the people that missed me too, Kaoru san," said Kenshin, his violet eyes smiling at her. "Every **single** person." Looking into her eyes for a second, he let go of her hand. "Sano looks like he could do with a bit of help." She nodded, standing up and almost running up to Sano. Her mind was whirling with emotion. Had he meant what she thought he meant?

~

She sighed as she gazed at her hand. He was the sweetest guy she knew . . . Shaking her head, she walked down the hallway and peered into the kitchen. Her mother wasn't there. She was walking past the living room when she spotted someone seated on the couch. All she could see from her vintage point was black hair. 

Curious, she walked up to the couch. There was no possible way in which he could see her, but he turned around abruptly as though he had sensed her presence. She stopped dead in her tracks, staring at him as he stood up.

His back tensed as the hair rose on the back of his neck. Someone was there . . . behind him. Abruptly, he stood up and turned around, coming face to face with a girl with long black hair. Glancing sideways at the picture of Kamiya Kaoru that hung on the wall of the living room, he knew at once that this was Kamiya Kaoru. She looked mostly like Kamiya san - from the blue eyes to the hair colour. Yet something about her face reminded him of him. 

Kaoru stared at the tall male in front of her. One look at him, she knew she had never seen him before. She would have remembered if she had seen him somewhere before. His hair was black, just like hers, and fell in bangs over his eyes that in turn were an icy blue. He was tall and lean - not too thin, not fat. What caught her eye at once, was the fact that something - she couldn't place her finger on what it was - but _something_ about him . . . looked like she had inherited it too . . .

__

Kaoru no baka! How could you possibly INHERIT something from him?

They stood there, facing each other and trying to figure out what it was that was familiar about the person standing in front of them. That was how Mr. Kamiya found them when he entered the living room. He didn't know what was going on, but seeing the way Kaoru had tensed up, he didn't like it.

"Kaoru, had a nice weekend?" he asked, in a would-be-casual voice, walking up to them briskly. Aoshi's guess was confirmed. She _was_ Kamiya Kaoru. Kaoru turned to face her father, her eyes still a little wide.

"Er - yes . . . it was fun," she mumbled, wondering whom the other person was. Mr. Kamiya frowned slightly as he saw Aoshi staring hard at his daughter.

"Is there something wrong young man?" he asked, looking directly at him. Aoshi turned his gaze away from Kaoru and focused it on Mr. Kamiya. What was he supposed to say? _"Yes, something is wrong, Mr. Kamiya. Your daughter looks like me in some aspect or the other . . . and I want to know why."_ That didn't sound appropriate. He chose to shake his head and mumble;

"No . . ." Kaoru glanced at him. Who was he? And why did she get the direct impression that her father didn't like him at all? Mr. Kamiya was glaring at Aoshi. He didn't understand this boy at all - or rather, he didn't _want_ to understand him at all. He was still berating himself for agreeing with his wife to let him stay with them for a while. What was he thinking? He, as his wife had told him, was the son of one of her old school friends. Shouldn't he have realized the danger in having him - an 18 year old boy - in the same house as his precious daughter - a 16 year old girl? What if something happened? 

And what disturbed him the most was that there _was_ something extraordinarily alike between Kaoru and the other boy. He wasn't sure if it was something that could be dismissed as something that happened from time to time. Why, he was sure that there was at least one person in the world that looked like him - and he wasn't referring to the dog from the house next door to Misao's. Their alikeness was something - he was _sure_ he was overreacting - that was inherited. That was impossible. As far as he knew, he hadn't had any other affairs, and neither had his wife.

"Hisashi did I hear - Kaoru!" said Kamiya san, smiling warmly at her daughter.

"Kachan," said Kaoru, smiling back at her. Aoshi watched them exchange smiles, and something stirred inside him. Something he couldn't really explain . . . but something that made him feel a little - hollow? Kamiya san glanced at the look of hostility her husband was giving Aoshi and the look of confusion Kaoru was giving Aoshi, and decided to do some introducing.

"Kaoru, I'd like you to meet Aoshi san . . . Shinomori Aoshi san," she said, smiling at Aoshi. "He'll be staying with us for a while . . . a _long_ while."

" . . . . . ."

"Ni - nice to meet you," said Kaoru still confused. Long while? Staying?

"Aoshi san, meet my . . . daughter, Kaoru," said Kamiya san, again smiling warmly at Aoshi.

" . . . Nice to meet you . . ." mumbled Aoshi, finding it difficult to put any sincerity in the four words, as he found out he wasn't sincere about his greeting at all. He understood the look that Mr. Kamiya had been giving him a few seconds ago. Geez . . . Mr. Kamiya couldn't _possibly_ have thought that he'd be dishonorable enough to do anything to his daughter . . . could he? The atmosphere had gotten tense. 

"Well," said Kaoru, brightly - breaking the tension as she spoke. "I'll just keep this stuff upstairs and then go over to see Misao chan." 

Kamiya san did her best to hide the smile that was threatening to form on her face as Kaoru mentioned Misao. Friday's revelation was still fresh on her mind. 

"Kaoru . . . when you meet Misao, ask her about her 'good looking burglar' ok?" she asked, knowing full well that if she had been Misao's age, Misao would have throttled her.

"Good looking burglars?" asked Kaoru, looking over her shoulder at her mother. "What's that supposed to mean?" Aoshi and Mr. Kamiya were staring at her too. Kamiya san just smiled.

"She might tell you," she said. "If she doesn't die of embarrassment." Positive that her mother wasn't going to say anything more, Kaoru walked towards the staircase. Good looking burglars? What did they have to do with Misao? 

Mr. Kamiya raised his eyebrows at his wife.

"You mentioned something about those good-looking burglars to Misao earlier as well," he said. "Is there any point in asking you why?" Kamiya san grinned. As her eyes fell on Aoshi, her grin widened.

"No. There's no point," she said, chuckling to herself as Aoshi stared at her as though she was losing her mind.

****

Kashiwazaki Residence

Makimachi san made her way to the front door wiping her hands on the apron she was wearing as she went. 

"Ah, Kaoru chan," she said, smiling at her. Kaoru smiled back. "Had a nice time at Sano's?"

"Hai! It was great . . . it's a pity Misao chan couldn't come," said Kaoru. "But . . . helping you and Okina san at the Aoiya seemed more important to her . . ." Makimachi Rika was glad that Kaoru couldn't see the big blue question mark forming in her head. Had Misao _known_ that Omasu wasn't going to come? Is that why . . . no . . . that was just Misao's made up excuse for not being able to go with them.

"Yes . . . well, Misao's upstairs. I can call her if you wa - "

"Oh no, I'll go up. Thanks Makimachi san," said Kaoru, smiling at Misao's mother before running up the stairs.

*

Misao was seated at her desk, staring into space when she heard a knock on her door. The door slowly opened to reveal Kaoru.

"Kaoru chan!" she exclaimed, jumping up. She had almost forgotten entirely about the spend the night, in an attempt to stop feeling bad. "How was it?" Kaoru smiled.

"Great. It was fun . . . Sano got scolded _so_ much by his mum that it was HILARIOUS," she said. "And the Sagara's LOVED Kenshin and Soujirou." Misao grinned.

"Why am I not surprised?" she asked. "Anything else? Sano and Megumi? You and Kenshin?"

"Well . . . Sano and Megumi just fought over stuff . . . you know, like they usually do," said Kaoru, off hand.

"And you and Kenshin?"

"Oh - nothing _much_ -"

"Nothing _MUCH_?? What happened? TELL ME!" 

"Okay, calm down . . ." said Kaoru, sitting down on Misao's bed and folding her legs neatly under her. "Well . . . we were talking as usual . . . but there was this one part when Sano and Megumi went to get the food, and Yahiko and Soujirou were trying to figure out which video to chose . . ."

"AND? WHAT HAPPENED???" Misao was practically sitting on thin air - not her chair.

"Well, Kenshin said that he didn't realize how much he missed 'this place' and the people . . . and I said that at least he realized now . . . and - oh Misao - I said 'And I miss - uh - everyone here missed you too!' wailed Kaoru, looking teary eyed at Misao. Her teary eyes soon turned into slits in her face as she saw Misao clutching the chair for support, whilst laughing her head off. "Misao!"

"Go - gomen! But . . . that's - that's _SO_ like you . . . heh heh heh! I can imagine you say - saying that!" squealed Misao, laughing loudly.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY, MISAO! I NEARLY TOLD HIM THAT I - " Kaoru stopped in mid-sentence. "Come on, Misao. Stop it. It's getting annoying." Misao nodded, wiping her eyes.

"Sorry . . . go on. What did he say?" she asked, trying to control her laughter.

"Well, he just smiled and said he knows that they missed him. Sano and Megumi came in and Sano looked like he needed help so I started to get up - " continued Kaoru.

"Did you start to get up just to help Sano or to stop yourself from blurting out more stuff to Kenshin?" asked Misao.

"Well . . . both, actually. And then - he grabbed my hand - "

"HE WHAT?!!!" yelled Misao, almost falling off her chair.

"He . . . grabbed my hand and said that he missed the people who missed him too. He said he missed every _single_ person that missed him," said Kaoru, her face bright red.

"OH MY GOD! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?!!" screeched Misao.

"Misao - stop overreacti - "

" - THAT MEANS THAT HE - "

" - No, Misao! He doesn't like me! Don't say that! Well . . . I don't know if he does or not . . . but - " 

" - Oh, I wasn't saying anything about him liking you or anything Kaoru chan," said Misao, realizing what her friend was going on about.

"Then? What _were_ you going on about?" asked Kaoru.

"I was going to say that that means that he _knows_. He knows that you like him," said Misao. The look on Kaoru's face was one of pure horror.

"Kami sama . . . no! It can't be - I tried so hard to hide it! No!" she wailed, burying her face in her hands.

"Kaoru chan, that was just an assumption. You don't know whether he knows for sure," said Misao, realizing her _stupid_ mistake in telling Kaoru what she thought.

"No . . . it makes sense . . ." came Kaoru's muffled voice.

"Kaoru chan, listen to me, it's not true. It was just a stupid guess," said Misao, staring in concern at her friend. "Fine, then answer this. Was he normal throughout the rest of the spend the night? Normal towards you?" There was a pause in which Kaoru lifted her face to face Misao.

" . . . He was normal," she said, sincerely. "He was _very_ normal. 'Oro'-ing etc." Misao smiled brightly at her friend.

"See? That means that he doesn't know," she said. _Or if he does, he's not showing it_.

"You - you really think so?"

"Kaoru chan, would he act 'normal' if he knew?" asked Misao. _He most probably would, knowing him . . ._

"I guess not . . . he doesn't know then. Thank god," said Kaoru, taking a deep breath. Misao nodded, hoping that he really _didn't_ know. 

"Yep," she said. 

"You should have come Misao," said Kaoru. "It would have been more livelier with you." Misao smiled weakly.

"Yeah - well . . ." she said. "I'd be robbing Sagara san of her sanity if I came!" Kaoru grinned.

"True . . . oh! That reminds me Misao, Kachan asked me to remind you about - er - 'good looking burglars," she said. "Do you have any idea wha - Misao? Misao??" Misao's eyes had suddenly become huge, and her face had turned _bright_ red. Why did Kamiya san have to remind her of the very thing she was _trying_ to forget? "Yoo hoo! Misao! Snap out of it! MISAO!!" Misao 'snapped out of it' still blushing.

"Oh . . . sorry . . ." she said, hoping against hope that Kaoru wouldn't ask her to explain everything. She should have known better.

"Misao chan . . . what's up with this burglar thing? Did you meet a burglar? Was he good looking?" asked Kaoru, watching her friend carefully. Misao shook her head.

"If I _had_ met a burglar, Kaoru chan, I'd be dead by now," she said. "And besides, who, apart from Rukawa Kaede, Clef and Lantis, do I think is good looking? And in case you didn't realize, those three aren't even _human_!" The explanation was reasonable and proved her point. Her red face, however, told a different story.

"Who is it Misao? Who's the guy that you've fallen for?! TELL ME!!!" screamed Kaoru, almost lunging at Misao in curiosity.

"It's nothing, Kaoru chan. I really don't know what Kamiya san is talking about," said Misao, hurriedly. "Honestly. But, if you like, I can go looking up some good looking burglars and hand them over to you." Kaoru scowled in defeat.

"Fine! Don't tell me. But when I find out . . . oh man, you'll wish you told me in the first place!" she said, and Misao, shuddering mentally, knew she was right. "Although, if you're looking for good looking guys - minus the burglar part - just come over to my place." Misao glanced sharply at her, her blush deepening.

"W - what do you mean?" she managed to ask.

"Well, when I went home, this guy was sitting in the living room. He has super sensitive senses - I'm telling you! Ahem . . . anyway, he was kinda - okay, he was _very_ good looking . . ." said Kaoru. She was too busy re-tying her hair to notice Misao's blush.

"O - oh . . ."

"Exactly. Kachan said he'd be staying with us for a while - a _long_ while," said Kaoru, grimacing as she had tied her hair too tight. 

"Ah . . ."

"He's tall . . . and let me tell you, I'm positive he's got a good body," said Kaoru. Misao had the strong urge to hide her face in her hands. Blushing should be made illegal, she thought, furiously. "And - well, he's got black hair that falls over his cool ice blue eyes." 

"Oh - r - right . . ." said Misao twirling her plait in her hands.

"He _looks_ athletic . . . I really don't know . . ." said Kaoru. "But I'm sure that after one look at him, Megumi will forget Kenshin!"

"What's his name?" asked Misao, nonchalantly.

"Er . . . hang on . . . Shinomori Aoshi . . ." said Kaoru, finally finished with messing around with her hair. 

"Shinomori Aoshi . . ." mumbled Misao, absentmindedly. Kaoru glanced at her, eyebrow raised.

"Misao chan?" she asked. "Did you say something?" Misao shook her head vehemently.

"No, no . . . nothing. I didn't say anything," she said, hurriedly. 

"Ookay . . . must be hearing things then . . . well, I better get going - Kachan will be expecting me for lunch and for details of the spend-the-night," said Kaoru, getting up from the bed. "Minus the Kenshin part though! See ya. Oh, and if you want to see that good-looking guy, come over sometime okay? Ja!" 

" . . . Ja . . ." said Misao, as Kaoru walked out of her room. She rested her chin on the top of her chair. 

"Shinomori Aoshi . . ."

****

Two days later (Tuesday):

Misao groaned as she sat down in front of Kaoru, in her form class. This was not her week - or day. Firstly, their _dear_ captain, Saito Hajime informed them that they all were horrible in running, except for Soujirou and he never said anything about Kenshin. Chicken brain and brat had become his official names for Sano and Yahiko, and he had chosen to call her weasel girl. Coming from her _friends_, she didn't mind - but from HIM?? Secondly, their practice had been extended by an hour, making them dead tired when they got home, and not giving them enough time to do all their homework which led to thirdly getting into trouble at school. Fourthly, she kept on having these nightmares about burglars - who looked astonishingly like Kaoru's guest - laughing like madmen at her, and fifthly she kept on dozing off in the middle of everything - lessons AND discussions alike. The dreams she blamed on Saito Hajime too, since if he hadn't increased the practice time, she wouldn't be so sleepy and dream of such weird things.

She had a solution for all her problems. It was simple. Eradicate Saito Hajime. Kuso . . . that was easier said than done. Or rather, _thought_ than done.

"Misao chan! Honestly, do you _ever_ listen to others when they talk to you?" snapped Kaoru, fed up with her friends behaviour. She had dozed off. See? Saito Hajime's fault.

"It's Saito's fault . . ." mumbled Misao, wearily.

"Misao chan?" asked Kaoru, very concerned. 

"Hnn . . . I'm fine . . ." mumbled Misao, finding it _very_ difficult to keep her eyes opened. "On second thought . . . do me a favour Kaoru chan and pinch me - HARD."

"What?!" exclaimed Kaoru. "Why?"

"She wants to wake up, Kaoru," said explained Soujirou. He and Kenshin seemed to be the only two people that weren't being affected by the extended athletics practice.

"Oh. Well, if you say so," said Kaoru, still thinking Misao was mad. She pinched her -HARD.

"ARGHHH!!!!!" yelled Misao, sitting bolt upright in her chair. Soujirou grinned at the expression of shock on Kaoru's face.

"See? Instant alertness," he said.

"They're mad . . . all of them," said Kaoru. "Yahiko, you want me to do the same to you?" The sleeping bundle on Misao's right - which turned out to be Yahiko - mumbled incoherently.

"Nah . . . it's the 4 into 100 meter race they'll want to win . . ." he mumbled. Misao and Soujirou exchanged amused glances.

"Oy, baka. We're in _class_, not athletics practice," said Misao, whacking him on the head.

"YOUCH!! WHAT DID YA DO THAT FOR??!" bellowed Yahiko, waking up completely and glaring at Misao.

"To wake you up . . . registration's gonna start soon. You don't want to be caught sleeping, do you?"

"I wouldn't mind. That way, if they asked us why we were sleeping, we could tell them about the - the _slimeball_ that's doing this to us," said Yahiko, sourly.

"And get into more trouble? From the _slimeball_ and Takashi sensei?" asked Misao.

"Grr . . . I hate it when you're right," muttered Yahiko, running his hand through his hair.

"Why don't you guys just _tell_ Saito san? He'll listen to you guys, won't he?" asked Kaoru. Misao, Yahiko _and_ Soujirou stared at her in disbelief.

"Explain to her why we can't do that Sou chan, I'm too tired," said Misao, at last.

"If Saito san _was_ the type of person who'd listen to other people, Kaoru, we wouldn't be in this state right now," said Soujirou, trying to explain the problem to her without insulting Saito.

"What he is trying to say, busu - "

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"

" - Is that you might as well talk to a wolf's backside and expect it to respond pleasantly," said Yahiko.

"What is it with you people and wolves' backsides?" muttered Kaoru, making a face.

"Ask Megumi," said Yahiko.

"That'll be the day," said Kaoru. 

"GOOD MORNING CLASS!!!" yelled Takashi sensei, in his usual greeting as he entered the class.

"If he shouts one more time I'm _so_ gonna kill him . . ." threatened Misao, wincing as her head started pounding.

"You're not gonna be the only one," agreed Yahiko, rubbing his temple.

****

In another senior class:

"Ohayo, minna!" said the brown haired lady, walking into the class, a tall boy dressed in their uniform at her heels. The male population of the class found that they were the only ones that responded to their sensei's greeting.

"Ohayo, Kurogawa sensei!" The female population of the class was too busy staring open mouthed at the boy that was walking behind her. Kurogawa sensei sighed, shaking her head.

"Dear me, we _do_ seem a little star-struck," she joked. "Anyway, minna, this is a new student - Shinomori Aoshi." The boy turned to face them, giving them a clear picture of him. He was tall - probably the tallest person in the class - and had black hair which fell in bangs over his eyes. The girls took sharp intakes of breath as they saw the ice blue colour of his eyes.

"Oh brother . . ." muttered a dark brown-haired boy, leaning towards his red haired friend. "What's the bet he'll become 'Mr. Popular'.

"Jealous, Shogo?" asked Kenshin, grinning. The look Amakusa Shogo gave Kenshin was one of venom.

"Excuse me? Do I care if I'm 'Mr. Popular' or not? Hell, it'd suit me better if I were not. I might _actually_ be able to tell her if I'm not popular . . ." he said. Kenshin's grin widened. Ah yes, how could he forget? Being the resident 'Mr. Popular' had deprived his friend Amakusa Shogo of admitting his feelings to the girl he had liked for a little while now.

"You might not need tell her, Shogo," he said. "She might manage to _WEASEL_ it out of you . . . considering she's known as a we-"

"She is _not_ like that! In any case, it's better being something like that than being a - I dunno . . . a _bear_, perhaps?" asked Shogo, evilly.

"That's not funny, Shogo," said Kenshin.

"Once you two boys have finished your discussion!" called Kurogawa sensei, from the front of the class.

"Gomen, sensei," said Shogo, flashing her a grin. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Mr. Popular, your grins don't work with me," she teased. "Anyway, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself, Aoshi san?" Shinomori Aoshi glanced hurriedly at her.

__

Kuso . . . I hate this . . . 

Looking back at the class in front of him, Aoshi saw the girls looking very attentive, and the boys grinning or rolling their eyes. His eyes fell on a boy sitting towards the back of the class. It must have been the red hair that caught his eye. He was talking to a brown haired boy seated next to him. As though sensing his glance, the red haired boy turned to face him. He had a strange cross-shaped scar on his left cheek, making Aoshi wonder how he could have got such a scar. The red haired boy grinned (in his usual grinning way) and nudged the brown haired boy, no doubt telling him to stop talking.

He took a deep breath.

" . . . I'm Shinomori Aoshi . . . I transferred here from Eigamura High School . . ." He stopped. What else was he supposed to say?

"How old are you?" asked a girl, cheekily. He glared at her, making her wince visibly. 

"That's getting a bit _off_ the topic, Seiya," said Kurogawa sensei. "Thank you, Aoshi san. Why don't you take a seat? There's one at the front - oh, no . . . ah, there's one next to Kenshin - over there." She pointed towards the red haired boy. There was a free desk on his right. He walked up to the desk, ignoring the gazes he was getting from the girls, and sat down at the desk.

"I'm Himura Kenshin," said a voice from his left. It was the red haired boy. 

"Shinomori Aoshi," he said, in his usual tone of voice.

"I know . . . you told us already," said Kenshin, smiling, making Aoshi feel like a complete idiot.

" . . . . . ."

"And this is Amakusa Shogo," said Kenshin, nodding at his friend. Aoshi nodded at him.

"Okay, Aoshi san, if you need any help in anything, ask Kenshin, okay?" called Kurogawa sensei from the front of the class. Aoshi nodded slowly.

" . . . Hai . . ."

"Good. Now let's get to work," said Kurogawa sensei. "WORK, not stare at Aoshi san," she added, looking pointedly at the girls. Kenshin and Shogo glanced at Aoshi, amused. Aoshi had suddenly gone deaf and blind - thus making it impossible for him to hear or see what people were saying and doing.

****

During morning break:

They were seated at their usual table - Kaoru, Sano, Megumi, Misao, Soujirou and Yahiko. They were missing one person - a person who was _never_ late.

"Where's Kenshin?" asked Kaoru, looking around the room.

"I dunno . . ." mumbled Sano, rubbing his eyes. 

"Hmm . . . I wonder where Ken san is . . . perhaps he's trying to avoid you, Kaoru," said Megumi, looking evilly at Kaoru.

"Shut up Megumi," snapped Kaoru. "He's probably trying to hide from you."

"Really? I don't think so. Did he say 'good morning' to you today? I thought not . . . well, he said good morning to _me_," said Megumi, knowing that Kaoru would burn up even more.

"That's probably because you were stalking him," said Kaoru, turning pale green.

"Me? Stalking him? I'd say it was the other way around."

"What are you implying, Megumi?"

"I'm merely saying that Ken san in _mine_ . . . and there's no way he would fall for a girl who can't even tell him how she feels," said Megumi. Soujirou - the only other person who was 'awake' - watched in fascination as Kaoru's face turned from dark green, to red and finally to deep purple.

" . . . You . . . DON'T . . . KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!!!!" Misao stirred.

"Erk . . . Kaoru chan, please . . . lower your voice," she said, still a little drowsy.

"Yeah . . . take it outside, you two," said Yahiko.

"That'd be fun to watch; Bear girl versus Fox lady," said Sano. He received a kick in the shins from Kaoru and a whack on the head from Megumi. "Youch . . . _very_ violent people . . ."

"Misao, you're falling asleep on your sandwiches," warned Kaoru, watching as Misao's head drooped down.

" . . . Yuck . . . thanks . . ." said Misao, sitting up and rubbing her eyes violently. She didn't like this at all.

"Gomen, minna," said Kenshin's soft voice from behind them. "I had to help someone around the school . . ." Kaoru turned around at once. Standing behind Kenshin was a tall figure - 

" - Aoshi san!"

A/N

Well???? Hope ya liked it! And once again, thank you for giving me your opinions! Thank you _very_ much! I found them really helpful.

See ya soon and please review! ^_^

Siriusgirl

__


	6. Athletics Practice

****

A/N

Well . . . chapter five! Actually, I had included all this in chapter four, but it turned out being TOO long, so I decided to make it chapter five (not that this isn't too long either!) Hope you like it! 

Oh, and about the issue of Aoshi's school, I'd just like to tell you that he won't be staying in the same school as Misao and the others for long . . . so don't worry about things being too 'easy' for them (Aoshi/Misao)

The next update might get delayed coz school started and we've been given these computer projects to do, plus math assignments . . . and chemistry, and physics and French and history AND I'm moving house tomorrow so stuff will be a little hectic. I'll most probably update again in about three weeks . . . so please, please, please bear with me! Please! ^_^

Thank you!

****

Chapter Five: Athletics Team

__

Recap from previous chapter:

__

"Gomen, minna," said Kenshin's soft voice from behind them. "I had to help someone around the school . . ." Kaoru turned around at once. Standing behind Kenshin was a tall figure - 

~~~~

" - Aoshi san!" she exclaimed, having forgotten to tell her friends that he was joining school that day. "Ah . . . gomen . . . I was supposed to tell Kenshin about you - "

" . . . Iie . . ." said Aoshi, quietly. "It's okay . . ." Kenshin smiled his usual smile at Kaoru, even though he wanted to know how she knew him already. He decided that they were most probably relatives - cousins . . . after all, they _did_ look somewhat alike.

"Well, you already seem to know each other," he said. "Let's introduce the others th - Sano?" Sano had fallen face down on the table and was content with snoring softly. Megumi tore her eyes away from the person behind Kenshin.

"They're all the same," she said, nodding at Misao and Yahiko. "It's that stupid wolf's backside!" Aoshi raised an eyebrow. Right . . . 

"Oro?" asked Kenshin, sweat-dropping.

"She means Saito san," explained Kaoru, smiling warmly at Kenshin. If Aoshi wasn't . . . well, if he wasn't _Aoshi_, he'd have dropped the tray he was holding. Saito? Wolf's backside? He was willing to bet that it was his cousin they were referring to - his aunt _had_ said something about transferring Saito's schools . . .

"Do you know Saito, Aoshi san?" asked Kenshin, noticing his amused silence.

" . . . Yes." Boy did he know Saito Hajime. Kenshin and Kaoru exchanged quick glances. Was there anything that he said in full sentences?

Soujirou glanced at the newcomer, smiling - as usual. There was a secretive air around him . . . something that told him that he didn't like being around others very much . . .

"Well . . . let's introduce our friends," said Kenshin, smiling at Aoshi. "That's Seta Soujirou . . . and that's Takani Megumi . . ." Soujirou smiled innocently at Aoshi, whilst Megumi smiled one of her 'captive' smiles. Kaoru rolled her eyes as she saw the look Megumi was giving Aoshi. Poor guy . . . she had to warn him about her when they got home . . .

__

Then again, if Megumi fell in love with Aoshi san . . . she'd leave Kenshin alone . . . hmm . . . should she leave Aoshi san to his torture then?

Aoshi nodded curtly at them, a warning bell ringing in his mind as he saw the 'look' Takani san was giving him.

"That's Sagara Sanosuke - " 

"WHAT??!" yelled Sano, glaring around the table.

"Sano?" asked Kenshin, surprised. It turned out that Megumi had nudged him hard.

"Oh . . . nothing . . . kitsune over here . . . ouch." Another whack on the head shut him up. "Women . . . "

" - That's Yahiko Myoujin," said Kenshin sweat-dropping. Yahiko had enough grace to nod at Aoshi, even though his eyes were half closed.

"Nice to - me - meet y - you . . ." he yawned. Aoshi merely nodded again.

"And that's Makimachi Misao," said Kenshin, at last, smiling in the sleeping Misao's direction. There was something familiar about the girl's name . . . he couldn't quite place it. Oh well, it didn't matter. "Minna, this is Shinomori Aoshi." There was a chorus of 'nice to meet you', to which Aoshi just nodded.

__

"Doesn't he do anything else apart from NOD?" wondered Kaoru, frowning slightly.

"Sit down, Aoshi san," said Kenshin, taking his seat opposite Kaoru. Aoshi looked over the table. The two benches on either side were full; except for a small space on the other side of - er - Makimachi Misao.

"Oh, hang on," said Kaoru, realizing what had to be done. "Move up! You great big oaf . . . get up and move up!" She pulled Misao towards her, giving Aoshi enough space to sit down.

" . . . Thanks . . ." Again, there was no sincerity in his voice. Kaoru mentally shook her head. What was it with this guy?

"Hnn . . . leave me . . . alone . . ." mumbled Misao, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. 

"A bit difficult when you were taking all the bench space," said Kaoru. 

"So? No one else's gonna come and sit down, are they?" asked Misao, staring in disgust at her sandwiches. She didn't have an appetite.

"Misao - that's Shinomori Aoshi," said Kaoru, nudging Misao and nodding to Misao's other side. Misao tried to clear her brain of its drowsiness.

__

Now why does that name sound familiar . . .?

"Ouch!" Kaoru had nudged Misao particularly hard in the ribs. "What?"

"Say 'hi'!" said Kaoru. Misao turned to Aoshi, clumsily. 

"Hi - " her voice trailed off. She stared at him rather stupidly. 

__

Oh . . . my . . . god . . . 

He was in the act of removing the plastic covering over his tray of food when he turned to face her. His eyes glinted in recognition. She had come over during the weekend to get a textbook or something . . .

Kaoru watched in silence as they stared at each other, unaware of the fact that Kenshin was also doing the same.

A blush formed unconsciously on Misao's cheeks as Aoshi turned to look at her. Ice blue eyes caught deep blue and held them for a fraction of a second . . . 

"Y - you!" was all Misao was able to say. Kaoru looked questioningly at her.

"Misao? Are you okay?" she asked, wondering what was going on with her.

"Have you two met before?" asked Kenshin, looking curiously at them. Aoshi turned his head slightly to look at Kenshin.

" . . . She came over to get a textbook . . ." Glancing again at Misao, he turned back to his tray. Misao, however, didn't turn away. She didn't know how long she had stayed like that . . . until Yahiko's deliberate 'cough' bought her back to her senses.

"Er - hi . . ." she said, quickly looking at her sandwiches. Kenshin stared at her, somewhat puzzled. Why did she go to Aoshi's house to get a textbook? Was there something going on between them that he didn't know about?

Kaoru, looking from Aoshi to Misao was putting two and two together. Misao _had_ met Aoshi before . . . when she went to get her history textbook from her room. Aoshi _must_ have been at her house then . . .

__

Then why didn't she tell me about it? Unless . . .

"Ano . . . Misao chan, why didn't you tell me you had met Aoshi san before?" she asked, looking hard at her. Misao swore to herself. "Misao?"

"I - er . . . I forgot . . ." she said. "I thought he was just a friend or something of your dad's . . ."

Aoshi shook his head. Him, a _friend_ of Mr. Kamiya? That would be the day.

"But you didn't say anything when I told you that we were having a guest at home," said Kaoru. Misao turned red. How was she supposed to answer that?

"Uhh . . . lack of memory . . ." she mumbled. 

"What's going on here? Who's the guest at your place and _what_ does he have to do with - with him and with Misao?" asked Sano, wide-awake.

"He's staying at my place," said Kaoru. Silence fell over the people sitting at the table. Everyone was looking at Aoshi and Kaoru.

" . . . Oro?" asked Kenshin, cluelessly.

"Daijobu, Ken san . . . Kaoru's just got a new boyfriend, that's all . . ." said Megumi, smiling at Kenshin. Kaoru's eyes popped out of her head, where as Aoshi choked on his water. Misao, in the process of munching a bite of her sandwich, swallowed it the wrong way and started coughing. 

"G - ack! I - " she coughed, clutching her throat. 

"Misao!" wailed Kaoru. 

"Kuso . . . I just finished my water, idiot," said Sano, worried as her face turned pale blue. A bottle of water was shoved in front of Misao's face. Without hesitating to see who it was from, she grabbed it and started drinking . . . and drinking . . . and drinking . . . She stopped when she had finished all the water.

"Than - " She groaned inwardly. Aoshi was staring at her, his eyes moving from the empty bottle in her hands to her face. "Go - men . . . I didn't mean to finish it . . ."

" . . . Iie . . ." he said, shaking his head. He was _definitely not_ going to sit with them for another meal. Never. Not as long he wanted his calm and peaceful life to continue.

"Megumi, you'd want to watch what you're saying," said Kaoru, glaring at Megumi. "I'm not the one that was drooling over Aoshi san just now." Megumi turned red as Soujirou, Yahiko, Sano and even Misao laughed.

"Good one Kaoru!" said Sano, grinning at her. He, unfortunately, got whacked again on the head. 

Five minutes of raucous, uncivilized behaviour, and Aoshi had had enough. His head was pounding in pain and was screaming 'GET OUT OF HERE!' He stood up abruptly.

"Ara - Aoshi san - " started Kenshin.

"I need to get some books . . ." said Aoshi, nodding at him and walking away rather hurriedly with his tray. Kaoru stared after him in exasperation.

"What _is_ wrong with him?" she muttered.

"Yeah . . ." said Misao. Kaoru turned on Misao.

"Misao . . . why didn't you tell me that you met Aoshi?" she asked. Misao pushed her sandwiches away from her.

"I just bumped into him when I was getting my textbook from your place, okay? I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but what with working at the Aoiya, I forgot." That part was true - she _had_ forgotten about him . . . until Kaoru had reminded her of him.

"Then why didn't you say anything when I told you about him?" asked Kaoru. To that, Misao had no answer.

"I - er . . . well - you were - erm - "

"Hang on . . . you _did_ say something . . ." said Kaoru, suddenly. "You said something, and when I asked you what you said you said 'nothing'! You DID say something! Now, what did you say?" Misao cursed Kaoru's uncanny memory.

Six pairs of eyes were on her, making her feel rather uncomfortable. _Think Misao. Think!_

"I didn't say anything," she said. "Nothing at all."

"Then why didn't you tell me about him?" Misao frowned.

"I thought he was a stupid burglar or something when I bumped into him at your place, okay? You don't generally introduce yourself and exchange greetings with people who you think are burglars, do you?!" she asked, her head aching. She immediately wished she had never said that.

Kaoru, it turned out, was _MUCH_ clever than she looked.

"Good-looking . . . burglar . . . Kachan . . . AHA!!" she yelled, looking triumphantly at Misao. Misao's head drooped.

"Will _someone_ please explain what's going on here?!" asked Sano and Yahiko, impatiently.

"And how come Aoshi is staying at your place?" asked Megumi, somewhat harshly.

"Oro?" Kaoru sighed.

"Ok . . . Aoshi san is the son of Kachan's best friend, and he'll be staying with us for sometime - at my place," she said. "And Misao chan over here apparently met him but _never_ told me about it!"

"Why does she have to tell _you_ about it?" asked Yahiko. "I mean . . . is there a _law_ or something that says so?" Kaoru glared at him.

"No, but there _is_ a law - amongst friends - that says 'your best friend should know when you've fallen in love with someone!'" Misao glared at Kaoru. She wasn't in love with him! Everyone turned to stare at Misao, amazed.

"Oro . . ."

"You - you're in LOVE WITH SHINOMORI??!!!" yelled Sano, his eyes as wide as saucers. Misao turned bright red as all conversation in the cafeteria stopped.

"NO I AM NOT!!! SHUT UP, BAKA ROOSTER HEAD!" she yelled, hating everyone seated around her.

"DON'T CALL ME ROOSTER HEAD, WEASEL!"

"THEN DON'T CALL ME WEASEL AND SPREAD FALSE RUMOURS, ROOSTER HEAD!"

"Misao - Sano - " started Kenshin, only to be interrupted by the bell.

"Che . . . that _sure_ was an eventful break," muttered Yahiko, getting up to join the queue of students that was going out of the cafeteria.

****

Meanwhile:

Aoshi sat down on the steps that led to the small cabin like thing in which the school kept their sports equipment. He breathed in relief. Peace and quiet . . . at last . . . He left his tray where it was, not really feeling like eating. He knew one thing for sure though - he was _never_ going to eat with Himura san and his friends. Leaning back so that he could see the sky, he sighed. It was a perfect day - in terms of weather . . .

Then why did he feel so unsettled? Ah, yes . . . the task of finding out if the 'wolf's backside' Takani san had been talking about was Saito Hajime. Then again . . . the two words 'wolf's backside' were enough to prove to him that the 'Saito' was indeed his cousin.

"What are **you** doing here?" asked an annoyed voice, snapping him out of his thoughts. Snapping his head back down, he saw someone standing in front of him. Raising his eyes, he caught sight of gold eyes and sleek black hair. 

" . . . Saito Hajime . . ." he said, coldly.

"Glad to see you managed to _remember_ my name," said Saito, sarcastically. "What are you doing here?" Aoshi didn't answer for a while. 

" . . . Attending school . . ." 

"Ever the smart-ass, aren't we?" asked Saito. "The last time I checked, you were in Eigamura."

"The last time you checked, Otosan was alive," said Aoshi, meeting Saito's challenging gaze with his own emotionless one. Something flickered in Saito's eyes. He sighed heavily.

" . . . It's not _my_ fault you're too dumb to understand what I meant," he said. Aoshi raised his eyebrows. That was Saito's definition of an 'apology.' Wouldn't it have been easier to just say 'sorry'?

" . . . . . ."

"Who're you staying with? I must admit, I was surprised when Otosan and Okasan turned up without you," said Saito, folding his arms across his chest.

" . . . Do you really care?" asked Aoshi, closing his half-opened tray.

" . . . Not really, but when Mr. Colder-than-ice happens to be my _only_ cousin, I don't really have a choice . . . do I?" asked Saito, rummaging through his trouser pockets. To that, Aoshi had no answer. He watched as Saito pulled something out of his pocket, and frowned as he saw what it was.

" . . . I don't think you should be having that . . ." he said, coldly, staring at the cigarette in his cousin's hand. Saito smirked at him.

"And I'd like to see you stop me, ahou," he said. 

" . . . Fine." In one swift move, Aoshi raised his hand and pulled the cigarette away from Saito's hand. Clasping it in his hand, he set it down next to his foot and stomped on it with his shoe. A vein popped out on Saito's head.

"Heh . . . not bad, Shinomori. Reflexes have improved . . ." he said, pulling out another cigarette from his pocket. "But I've got more of them." Aoshi didn't know if he meant the cigarettes or the reflexes. Probably both . . .

" . . . . . ." A short silence fell over the two relatives, until the ringing of the bell broke it. Aoshi stood up, taking his tray with him. He had to return it to the cafeteria. He was about to walk past Saito when he stopped him.

"Athletics practice is from 1:40 to 5:00," he said, casually. Aoshi stopped. Athletics . . . yes . . . he had almost forgotten his strange love for the sport. 

" . . . Why are you telling me this?" 

"Just to see if I can waste my breath," said Saito, sarcastically. 

" . . . Allow me to tell you that you can . . ." said Aoshi, continuing to walk away. He was almost out of earshot when Saito spoke again.

"Just so you should know . . . I'm the Captain." Again, if Aoshi wasn't _Aoshi_, he'd have dropped the tray. Saito? Saito Hajime . . . _captain_? What was the world coming to? Didn't the school have any other people to choose - better people? Shrugging, he continued walking.

****

After school:

"Well . . . here we go again . . . another _glorious_ practice, with a _fabulous_ captain," said Yahiko, as he and Soujirou walked out of the changing rooms. 

"I _do_ think you should lower your voice, Yahiko, you never know who might hear you," warned Soujirou, looking a little serious.

"Yeah - little Misao Monster might hear ya," said Misao, walking out of the girl's changing room. Yahiko shook his head.

"Oohh . . . she heard me . . . what should I do?" he asked, pretending to shiver.

"Oh shut up," said Misao, slapping him on the back playfully. 

"Shall we get going? We're kinda late . . ." said Soujirou. That caught their attention. They ran out of the changing room area and towards the racecourse. Sano, Kenshin and the others were already there. So was Saito. Kaoru and Megumi had gone home. Seijiro sensei was no where to be seen. Everyone else had already been put into groups of four to practice. 

Saito turned around as he heard people running towards the course. His eyes narrowed as he saw who they were. The weasel girl, brat and Seta kid.

"You're late," he said, his voice hard. They gulped.

"So - sorry . . . we didn't realize . . ." started Misao.

"It's quite obvious that you didn't, weasel girl," snapped Saito. Misao clenched her hands into fists, trying to control her temper. "Since you think you're _so_ good that you can get late for practice, you three will be doing hurdles today." Yahiko grimaced. 

"But Saito how can we - "

"What did you call me?' asked Saito, looking dangerously at Yahiko.

"Er - Saito _SAN_," said Yahiko, sarcastically. "How can we do hurdles here? The space is too small!"

"Yeah - there won't be enough space in between the hurdles," said Misao, agreeing with him.

"Are you saying that I don't know what I'm doing? Perhaps a few hours of jumping hurdles placed so close together will teach you NOT to get late in the future," said Saito. "And take this timer with you." He threw a timer to Soujirou, who was the only one that was still smiling.

"Hai, Saito san," he said, dragging a fuming Yahiko and an equally fuming Misao over to the space reserved on the course for hurdles. 

~

"Oooh . . . that HORRIBLE SLIMY GIT!!" cursed Misao, watching as Soujirou moved a few hurdles that were out of line. "I'd give anything - ANYTHING - to give him a good kick up his - "

"You wouldn't be the only one," mumbled Yahiko, his hands shaking. "Do you know what he plans on doing? Three hours and twenty minutes of jumping hurdles - that'll kill us . . . all of us!"

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now, is there?" asked Soujirou, finishing his task and turning to face them with a smile on his face. "Who wants to go first?" As he expected, no one volunteered. Yahiko and Misao were too busy wishing Saito would drop dead. "Okay . . . I'll go first then," he said, smiling. He took his place at the start of the course and took a deep breath. 

Usually, the people he was training with would start a countdown, but they were too preoccupied with murderous thoughts to do that today and with fumbling with the stopwatch.

"Okay, Soujirou. One . . . two . . . three!" he said to himself, running towards the first hurdle. Misao pressed the 'start' button on the stopwatch. At first, Soujirou's speed was slow . . . until he gradually picked up speed, ending up in a blur of blue as he reached the first hurdle and jumped over it. Yahiko and Misao were right, he realized, as the second hurdle came within jumping distance all too soon. There was not enough space in between the hurdles - especially for long distance runners like the three of them.

*

"Oh man . . . those three are _so_ going to be dead when they finish," said Sano, turning his attention away from Kenshin, who he was supposed to be timing.

"Hurdles . . . doesn't he know that'll kill them?" asked Kenshin, walking up to him, a frown on his usual pleasant face.

"You want to know what I think? I think he knows it'll kill them and that's why he's doing it," said Sano. His eyes widened as he realized whom he was talking to. "ARGH! KENSHIN! Why didn't you tell me when you finished?!"

"Oro? You saw me finish . . ." said Kenshin. "Please tell me you stopped the timer . . ." Sano's horrified face was his answer. He sat on the ground, shaking his head.

"Kenshin, I'm so sorry! I was checking to see if those three were doing okay and I sort of forgot about timing you - do you - I'm so sorry - " started Sano.

"Iie . . . it's okay," said Kenshin, cutting him off. "I'll just write my old timing for the race."

"But you've improved! It's gotta be better than that!" exclaimed Sano.

"Iie . . . I don't think so," said Kenshin, smiling at his friend. "Kyoko san, you and Shihiro san go ahead." Kamei Kyoko and Arizuka Shihiro took their places on the track, Kyoko holding the other timer whilst Shihiro prepared himself.

"Gomen . . ." said Sano, feeling really wretched. Kenshin shook his head.

"Iie. I'm going to talk to Saito for a second. Cover those two," he said, walking away from his group.

"Sure thing, but he's not gonna listen to you," called Sano, as he walked further away.

"Oh yes he will . . ." said Kenshin, deciding that Saito had gone far enough.

*

Saito watched Soujirou go over the hurdles, no insult popping into his head. Seijiro sensei was right . . . he _was_ a fast runner. Hearing footsteps from behind him, he spun around. Standing behind him, dressed in black shorts that came up to the middle of his knee, and a sleeveless white t-shirt, was his cousin. He smirked.

"You finally decided to show up . . ." he said, smirking. "Even though you're - what - 15 minutes late." Aoshi didn't say anything. He was too busy looking around the course and seeing what everyone was doing.

" . . . Groups of four . . ." he muttered to himself. His eyes fell on the two people next to the hurdles. His eyes narrowed. " . . . That's dangerous . . ."

" . . . Excuse me?" asked Saito. Aoshi nodded at the hurdles, where he could make out a blue blur near the last few hurdles.

" . . . There's not enough space to maneuver between the hurdles . . ." Saito's smirk widened.

"I know . . . it's their punishment - for getting late," he said. Aoshi shook his head, once again wondering whether the selectors had been _that_ desperate to choose his cousin as the captain.

"Saito." They both turned around.

"Himura," said Saito. "What do you want?" Kenshin glared at him.

"Aoshi san . . . you've come to join the team?" he asked, smiling at Aoshi. 

" . . . Just to see . . ." said Aoshi, noticing the tension between Saito and Kenshin. 

"You know him?" asked Saito, looking at Aoshi. He nodded.

" . . . My class mate . . ." 

"Poor you," said Saito, smirking.

"Saito, you know as well as I do that those hurdles aren't fit for long distance runners like Misao, Soujirou and Yahiko," said Kenshin, a hard edge in his voice.

"They'll have to learn to cope. In the middle of the Inter-School tournament, they can't exactly say 'these hurdles aren't fit for long distance runners like us,' can they?" asked Saito. Kenshin narrowed his eyes.

"They were only five minutes late for practice, Saito," he said. 

"Seven minutes," corrected Saito, knowing it would incense the red haired vice-captain.

"We all want to win this tournament, Saito, but we're not going anywhere if we try to kill off some of our best runners," said Kenshin, ignoring Saito's obvious taunt.

"As far as I'm concerned, our only good runners consist of you, me and Seta Soujirou," said Saito. "The others don't matter."

"They do matter! It's their contributions that will up the score for us every now and then!" said Kenshin. "And you have much better runners than myself and yourself - Sano, Yahiko . . . even Misao."

"Whatever," shrugged Saito. "Is that all you came to say? In that case, I suggest you go back to your group before that chicken brain kills himself of curiosity." Aoshi raised an eyebrow. What was it with these people and names? Wolf's backside . . . chicken brain . . . what ever would they be calling each other next? 

"Listen to me Saito!" said Kenshin, his eyes becoming slits in his face. One look at his face told Aoshi that if they had been in the Tokugawa Era - where swords were the preferred weapons - Saito would be dead. (^_^)

Leaving them to argue, he wondered around the racecourse, ignoring the stares he was getting from the females. His eyes wondered again to the people standing next to the hurdles. A figure dressed in baggy blue shorts and a light blue t-shirt was panting, surrounded by two others - all of whom he recognized as being Himura san's friends. He didn't know what made him do it, but he walked up to them.

*

"Finally . . ." said Soujirou, panting. Misao handed him a towel that he took gratefully and started wiping his face and neck. 

"Three minutes and 07 seconds!" said Misao. "That means you can manage three minutes!"

"You did well," said Yahiko. "I'm not sure if I can do so well . . ."

"You can," said Misao. "Trust me." Yahiko shook his head.

"Baka, you don't understand. The two of us are practically asleep on our feet . . . Sou wasn't - and anyway, he's brilliant in hurdles and races," he said. "We're half asleep Misao . . . what chances do you think we have of completing this without endangering ourselves?"

"I don't know," said Misao. "But I'm not going to give that - that _nightmare_ another chance to punish us."

"Daijobu, Misao chan, Yahiko _chan_," said Soujirou, smiling as usual. 

"Say that again and you'll get it from me," muttered Yahiko, half-heartedly.

"As I was saying, there's nothing to worry about - really. You two will do fine," said Soujirou. "Although the hurdles _are_ dangerously close to each other, it just depends on timing. QUICK timing."

Yahiko and Misao didn't say anything for a little while. They glanced rather uncertainly at each other.

"I'll go," said Yahiko, setting his jaw. Misao nodded.

"Okay," she said, not wanting to admit that she was scared of jumping the hurdles at such a close range. They watched as Yahiko walked towards the starting line. Misao cleared Soujirou's timing off the stopwatch, after telling Soujirou to remember his time when they had to write it in the record book.

"One, two . . . three!" counted Soujirou. Yahiko started running towards the hurdles as Misao started the stopwatch. His pace was medium - not too fast or too slow. When he approached the first hurdle, however, his pace slowed down a little.

"DON'T STOP NOW, YAHIKO!" yelled Misao, knowing that he was wondering if he could complete his task. He picked up his speed and jumped over the first hurdle. He wasn't prepared for the next hurdle being so close to the first. It seemed to him that the moment his feet touched the ground, he had to raise them again for the next hurdle. That wasn't supposed to happen in hurdles - at all.

~

Aoshi walked up behind the two figures, as the boy whom he vaguely remembered as Myoujin san started running towards the hurdles. He saw him slow down as he approached the first hurdle, and knew that he was somewhat hesitant about jumping. He heard the girl shout at him not to stop. She was right. If he stopped now - changed his pace even a little - he would risk a dangerous fall on top of the hurdle whilst he was in mid-jump. And that was something that would be _very_ painful for him . . . 

He watched in dry amusement as Myoujin san did some hilarious moves as he tried to jump - somewhat unsuccessfully over the second hurdle. He had been right. The gaps in between the hurdles were too small. It was dangerous for _anyone_ to be jumping them. There wasn't enough space to space out the hurdles a little more, because if they moved the hurdles, one of the 100-meter tracks would be blocked. If they moved them the other way, the other 100-meter track would be blocked. They couldn't move the hurdles without blocking one of the four tracks, which were all being used.

Myoujin san may have taken a long time to jump the 23 hurdles, but he completed them nonetheless, which was pretty impressive. 

~

"Seven minutes and 33 seconds, Yahiko!" called Misao, as he jogged slowly up to them. 

"Told you I couldn't do it," he said, grinning at her.

"That was good - trust me," she said, hoping to encourage him.

"Sou did it in - what? 3 minutes?" he asked, looking downcast.

"And 07 seconds," chirped Soujirou, trying in vain to put himself down.

"That's almost three minutes," said Yahiko. "But I guess that was expected - Sou's _much_ better than the rest of us." Misao nodded in agreement as Soujirou scratched his head, looking at his feet. 

Aoshi was very impressed. Three minutes and seven seconds? That had to be some record for hurdles being placed so close. If the rest of the school's athletics team were anything like Seta san, the inter-school athletics cup would be theirs in a flash.

"Well . . . Misao chan, you better go," said Soujirou, taking the stopwatch gently from her hands. Misao's face had gone white.

"Don't worry. If _I_ could do it, you sure as hell can," said Yahiko, hoping to reassure her. She smiled weakly at him.

"I hop - "

"I don't remember asking you to chit chat," said a hard voice from behind Aoshi. Surprise, surprise, it was none other than Saito Hajime. Looking at the frown on his face, Aoshi knew immediately that Saito was looking for a way to let some steam off . . . and he was sorry to say that he had chosen Myoujin san, Seta san and Makimachi san to do so.

"Sai - Saito _san_," said Yahiko, cursing their captains' _bad_ timing.

"No, Santa Claus," said Saito. "Timings?" 

"Seven minutes and 33 seconds," said Yahiko, sighing inwardly. 

"Tut, tut. That won't do _at all_, brat," said Saito, looking down at Yahiko. He bristled. Aoshi mentally shook his head. The kid had done his best. "And you?"

"Ano . . . three minutes and 07 seconds," said Soujirou, shuffling his feet uncomfortably. How he wished that his timing had been worse than Yahiko's so that he'd get the same treatment Yahiko was getting.

"That's . . . not bad," said Saito, his mind not allowing him to say anything else. He quickly turned to Misao. "Weasel?" Aoshi shook his head visibly. That made it three - wolf's backside, chicken brain . . . and now weasel. Was this some sort of a zoo or something?

"I didn't go yet," said Misao, clenching her fists.

"What are you waiting for then, Weasel? Stop chatting around and go," said Saito, smirking as he saw her clenched fists.

" - Hai," said Misao. Soujirou and Yahiko both gave her encouraging smiles. Aoshi noticed that she barely looked at him. She walked rather hurriedly toward the starting point.

Yahiko and Soujirou slowly glanced at each other, eyebrows furrowed. Misao was unsure of the hurdles already, and Saito's presence just made things worse for her. Noticing their glances, Aoshi waited patiently. He had some foreboding feeling in the pit of his stomach . . . a feeling that told him something wasn't right . . .

~

__

Okay . . . calm down Misao chan. You can do this. You **can** do this

She stood at the starting point; her eyes fixed on the first hurdle. She was uncomfortable enough already . . . but what with Saito's presence - not to mention Shinomori Aoshi's . . . She took a deep breath. She could do this. All that she needed to do was to be fast enough, and to keep up her timing.

"Let's go closer," said Saito, walking closer towards the hurdles. Exchanging dark looks again, Yahiko and Soujirou followed him. Aoshi followed them, wondering why Saito was so intent on picking on these three people - especially the girl.

Soujirou gave her a few minutes to collect her thoughts.

"Misao chan! Are you ready?" he called to her. She nodded slowly. " . . . One . . . two . . . three . . ." 

She started running. Like Soujirou, she started off fairly slowly, picking up speed earlier than Soujirou. It all depended on timing and jumping ability. She seemed to be doing okay. She passed them in a flash, gaining on the first hurdle.

"Misao chan . . . " whispered Yahiko, his fingers crossed. Saito merely smirked.

She was gaining on the first hurdle. It was getting nearer and nearer . . . She took a deep breath.

__

Okay Misao chan . . . this is it. JUMP! 

She raised her left leg in a bent position and stretched it as far as she could over the hurdle. Raising her right leg behind her, she put more energy into the jump and landed on her left foot - over the hurdle. Her heart leaped in joy as she brought her right leg down as well. She did it!

"You did it, Misao!" yelled Yahiko, grinning. Soujirou frowned slightly. It was the second hurdle that worried him - she wouldn't be prepared for its closeness towards the first one.

Her joy was short lived as she saw the second hurdle a step in front of her. Her eyes widened in shock. It was _way_ too close! She raised her left foot, panic starting to settle in, knowing that her timing was way off. Her knee grazed the top of the hurdle slightly, but she ignored the searing pain. She jumped the second one as well, her heart pounding in alarm.

"Something's wrong . . ." said Soujirou, frowning as he watched her knee hitting the hurdle.

" . . . It's her timing . . ." said Aoshi, quietly. "Is she a long distance runner?" Yahiko nodded.

"Yeah, we _all_ are!" he said. "She can't do this . . ."

" . . . Not . . . if she regains her timing," said Soujirou. Saito said nothing.

Miraculously, she got over the third, fourth, fifth and sixth hurdles, her timing slowing down after each one. She knew, even though she tried to deny it, that she would completely fail after jumping another few hurdles. Her timing wasn't right, and she wasn't prepared at all. As she jumped the seventh hurdle, she felt cold air on her left foot. Looking down, she saw to her horror that her shoe was loose. Her shoelace had come out and her shoe was loose.

Aoshi frowned as he saw her glance at her foot while in mid-jump. Something was wrong. It was obvious. No one else seemed to have noticed it - except Saito, and he was looking bored.

She didn't know how she did it, but she landed on her feet over the seventh hurdle. Her mind was whirling. If she jumped again, her shoe was definitely going to come off with the impact of air against it. In half a second, she came to the eight hurdle. She was _really_ starting to panic. Without realizing what she was doing, she raised her right leg, attempting to jump over the hurdle with her right leg first. 

She knew almost immediately that that was the worst thing she could have done. She was supposed to jump with her left leg. She could only stare in horror as her left leg moved up as well, seconds too soon after her right leg. She was going to crash in to the hurdle!

Aoshi didn't realize why no one else recognized the mistake that she had just made. It was dangerous - very dangerous. Before he knew what he was doing, he was moving towards the eighth hurdle. A gasp and the sound of footsteps behind him told him that Myoujin san and Seta san had figured out that something _was_ wrong. 

Misao didn't crash into the hurdle as she thought it would - well, she did - in a different way. Her right leg banged against the hurdle as it went up, toppling it. She lost her balance as her right leg was bent at the knee. That was how she fell onto the hurdle - with her right knee bent. She thought she heard a sharp 'crack' but didn't know if it was her leg or the hurdle. She was sure of the indescribable pain that seared through her right knee.

Aoshi reached her seconds after she fell down. He grimaced as he saw the position she had fallen in. He knelt down beside her, Soujirou and Yahiko behind him. Her eyes were closed. He shook her shoulder slightly.

" . . . Makimachi san?" She stirred, opening her eyes gingerly.

"It - it hurts . . ." she moaned, closing her eyes in pain. Aoshi nodded. It _had_ to hurt. Taking her shoulders, he gently moved her to her side so that her knee was off the hurdle. She clenched her hands in pain.

"Misao chan - are you okay?" asked Soujirou, worried. She didn't answer - she couldn't.

" . . . Myoujin san, can you help me turn her over?" asked Aoshi, without looking at him. Yahiko nodded.

"Hai." Together, they turned her gently - very gently - until she was on her back. Her hands were around her right knee, clutching it. There were many footsteps behind them.

"Misao! Weasel!" yelled Sano, his face white.

"Misao?" asked Kenshin, slipping in between Aoshi and Soujirou. He winced as he realized what had happened. Aoshi pried her hands away from her knee.

"No . . . it hurts . . . " mumbled Misao, her eyes tearing. It couldn't be helped. Soujirou held one of Misao's hands tightly.

"It'll be okay . . . don't worry . . ." he said, squeezing it. Aoshi glanced at her knee. He was no expert in medicine, but he could see that she had done _something_ to her knee. There was a lump forming in the middle of it, and the area surrounding it was swelling and turning bright red. 

"Can you stand Misao?" asked Yahiko, worried. She didn't reply.

" . . . I can't bend it . . ." she whispered. 

"Aoshi san . . . maybe if you massaged it . . ." suggested Kenshin, having had enough experiences with injuries to know what to do. Aoshi sighed inwardly. He didn't really want to do this, but . . . 

He gently put his hands on her knee, feeling her tense up. He moved his right hand around the large bump, stopping occasionally when he heard a gasp of pain escape her lips. His left hand was massaging the bump. That was too much for her. She usually never showed any pain, but this was not a 'usual' circumstance. She squeezed Soujirou's hand tightly. 

Soujirou knew she had to be in great pain to make her show it by squeezing his hand. He didn't say anything.

"I'm gonna KILL that moron!" shouted Sano, turning away from them his eyes scanning the crowd for Saito. What he saw made his blood boil. Saito was standing where he had been standing before, a bored expression on his face. "Why that bast - " He walked up to Saito, furiously.

"It's all your fault, you idiot!" he yelled, standing in front of Saito. He raised an eyebrow.

"That the weasel messed up? I don't think so," he said.

"Why you - "

"If you don't have anything intelligent to say, chicken brain, don't say anything," said Saito. "And I don't remember telling _anyone_ to stop their practicing."

"She's INJURED for gods sake and ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS THIS STUPID PRACTICE?!!" yelled Sano, losing it.

"I'm not deaf, chicken brain," said Saito. "And the next time you talk to me like that, I'll suspend you off the team." Sano was on the verge of snapping.

"I. Don't. Care. What. You. Do," he said. "You're just a heartless, ruthless fool." Saito said nothing, merely looking bored, while Sano tried to stop himself from murdering the guy.

~

The pain eased for a few seconds as he massaged her knee. She stopped squeezing Soujirou's hand. Even though pain was searing through her, she was able noticed the person who was massaging her knee. Her face turned red. 

__

Kami sama . . . do you hate me so much?

She had made a fool of herself in front of hi - no, in front of everyone. She watched as his hand gently massaged the bump on her knee and bit her lip as pain seared through her again. His expression was one of concentration, as he did his best not to hurt her too much. She bit her lip as his hand went over her knee, gently. Something squirmed in her . . . 

What was going on with her?

A/N

^_^ Hope the length of the chapter was worth it! I won't be updating for a while, coz school's just started and I've got these computer projects to do - which takes quite a while. 

Please review and let me know if you were satisfied with this chappie!

Till next time ^_^ 

Siriusgirl


	7. Aftermath

A/N

Kneels down I'm soooooo sorry for bringing this update so late! Gomen, minna . . . looks at everyone with puppy dog eyes I'm really, really sorry . . .

Well, since this is very late, I decided to make it a _bit_ more eventful ... Hope you all enjoy this!

And thanks to:

**Kitsune Kenshin**: I owe you a lot! For the encouragement – especially recently, which encouraged me to write this! Hope you like this! And thanks once again!

**darkwateryoukai: **I thought i'd include Kenshin and Kaoru 'fluff' in the next chapter ... i decided to let this one focuse a bit on everyone ... thanks for your reviews! Hope this chapter's good!

**Sarcasmsage: **Thanks for you review! Hope you enjoy this!

**RSMB**: Well ... i'm continuing now ... hope it's okay!

**Angel of Saturns Silence: **Thanks for your review ... and yes, I thought that the 'wolf's backside' thing sort of 'fitted' Saito ... and the 'good-looking burglar' ahh ... if only he were alive ... heh, hope you like this!

**Unique-purple-starfish: **Here you are! And thanks for your review once again!

**Leila Jenkens: **Please don't kill me ... it's being updated and will continue to be updated! Heh, thanks, and hope you like this!

**gabby (hyatt: **Thank you, and i hope you enjoy this.

**tikigurl 293: **Here it is! Thanks!

**kitty jinxx: **Thanks!

**Luna: **I am very sure that Saito will be damned to hell ... (although there IS the slight problem that he's not alive in the first place). Oh well ... we can imagine. Heh, thanks for your review, and hope you like this.

**Kiryuu-500:** Hmm ... you've interested me now ... with your suggestion ... Thanks for your review! And sorry for the delay!

**Rkfan930: **Well ... it's here (i did it for the 'love of anime') thanks for your reviews ... and hope this satisfies you!

Well, here it is ...

**Chapter seven: Aftermath**

Kaoru sat at her desk, trying to concentrate on revising her physics work. It was quite dark outside. Looking at the clock on her desk, she saw that it was almost 7:30 p.m. Deciding that Misao should be at home by now, she stood up and walked downstairs. She had a few things to discuss with her best friend. Things like 'good looking burglars.'

She met her mother going upstairs as she went downstairs.

"Ah, Kaoru, have you seen Aoshi anywhere?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, rather worried.

"He's not back yet?" asked Kaoru, surprised. "He said he was going for athletics practice . . . but they should have finished by now . . ." Mrs. Kamiya bit her lip, rather worried. Where was that boy?

"You don't think he could have lost his way here, do you?" she asked, knowing it was impossible.

"Kachan . . . I think Aoshi san knows the way here quite well," said Kaoru, reassuringly and wondering why her mother was so worried about Aoshi. "Oh that reminds me, Kachan, I found out about Misao's 'good looking' burglar!" A smile crept up on Mrs. Kamiya's face.

"Really?" she asked, picturing a red faced Misao looking at Kaoru. "What did she say?"

"Nothing much. It was actually Aoshi san that sort of helped me," said Kaoru. "By saying that Misao chan was at our place and that she met him. Then I said that thing about the 'good looking' burglar and Aoshi san also said that he had heard you saying that to Misao. I can't believe it. My best friend is in love and she doesn't even tell me!"

"I don't think she's in love with him, Kaoru," said Mrs. Kamiya, reasonably. "She most probably just thinks that he's good looking." Kaoru shook her head.

"I don't think so. You should have seen her today when he came and sat down with us," she said.

"I don't think you should be telling me this, Kaoru," said her mother, smiling. "Anyway, you were going somewhere, weren't you? Tell me if you see Aoshi anywhere, okay?" Kaoru nodded.

"Hai." Kaoru walked down the stairs and outside into the garden. Looking over at Misao's house, she saw that there was no light on in Misao's room. That was strange. Where could she be? Deciding to see if she was there anyway, she walked over to the gate and towards the open gate that led to Misao's house. Misao would just jump over the fence and save time, but _she_ wasn't that athletic.

Reaching the front door, she rang the doorbell and waited for a minute. No one came to answer the door. Kaoru rang the doorbell again, thinking that everyone was probably busy … or eating or something.

After two more minutes, the door was still closed, and she was standing outside it, surprised. Had Mrs. Makimachi and her father gone somewhere? Then … where was Misao? Had she gone with them as well?

"Well, there's no point in standing here until they get back …" she said aloud. Turning around, she walked back to the gate and back to her house, hoping that everything was alright with them.

**Meanwhile:**

****

Kenshin watched Sano and Yahiko walk up and down the corridor, similar expressions of anger, hatred and worry mixed together on their faces. Looking at the wall opposite him, he saw Soujirou leaning against it, his head slightly bowed, making it difficult to see his face.

He sighed. This was going to be a _long_ day. Glancing at his wristwatch, he saw that it was almost eight o'clock. Aoshi had done the best that he could for Misao's knee, but the swelling wouldn't stop, so they had called an ambulance, after Aoshi had wrapped Misao's knee tightly with a crepe bandage. By the time the ambulance had arrived, it had been 6:15. They had given Misao a few painkillers, and she had fallen asleep a little while after that.

He was brought out of his thoughts when a tall figure dressed in baggy black trousers, and a white sleeveless t-shirt walked towards him. He watched as he glanced at Soujiro, Yahiko and Sano, before stopping next to him.

"Aoshi …" he said, pleasantly.

"I should get going now …" said Aoshi, in his quiet voice.

"Aren't you going to wait around until they finish with her?" asked Kenshin, somewhat surprised.

"There's no reason for me to stay …" muttered Aoshi, nodding at the other three boys. "I just came to tell you I'm going …" Before Kenshin could try to convince him to stay, he turned around.

"Aoshi."

" … …"

"Arigato … for helping Misao chan …"

"Hnn …" said Aoshi, walking down the corridor. Sano glanced up as he walked away.

"You know who he reminds me of?" he asked, sourly. "He reminds me of that bastard." Kenshin didn't need to ask who he meant by 'bastard.' He understood why Sano was so angry. Hell, he had been close to murdering Saito himself. His eyes narrowed in anger as he remembered their 'captain's' indifferent attitude when the ambulance arrived, and how he coolly demanded that the rest of the time stay and continue practicing. Sano, Yahiko and Soujirou wouldn't listen to him at all, and had come with them. As for him, it was his responsibility as the vice captain anyway.

"Soujirou, are you okay?" asked Kenshin, seeing the boy with his head still bowed. All he received was a nod. Kenshin frowned slightly. "Soujiro?" Soujirou looked up at him, sighing. Kenshin could see the worry in his eyes. "She'll be okay … you know that don't you?"

"Hai … Himura san …" said Soujirou. His expression hardened somewhat. "I would _love_ to walk into Saito in a dark alley …" Yahiko and Sano raised their eyebrows surprised, worried though they were. Was this _Soujirou_ implying that he would like to _physically_ hurt their _captain_?

"Let's not get _too_ carried away with all of this …" said Kenshin nervously, as his brain conjured up the image of a newspaper with its headline in big, bold letters, saying; **'Students of ****Mitsurugi ****High School****'s athletics team murder their captain and await punishment from the law.'** No, that _didn't_ sound nice.

"Kenshin how's Makimachi san?" asked Sano, suddenly, for he hadn't been there when Mrs. Makimachi had arrived to see her daughter. Kenshin smiled.

"She's not … _hysterical_ or overly panicked or anything …" he said. "Neither is Kashiwazaki san. That's a relief." He paused. He hoped they hadn't panicked or anything _now_.

"That's because you spoke of her injury as though she had tripped and got a scratch on her knee," pointed out Yahiko, who had been with Kenshin at the time Mrs. Makimachi and her father had come to see Misao. Kenshin turned red.

"Well there's no point in worrying them, is there?" he asked, smiling weakly. Sano shook his head.

"What about her dad?" he asked. Kenshin glanced at Soujirou. The boy was conveniently staring at his feet. He had a feeling that Kenshin was starting to figure out what was going on between Misao's parents …

"He's … away on a business trip ..." said Kenshin, hurriedly. He hadn't called him, knowing that there was something wrong with him and Mrs. Makimachi. Soujirou sighed in relief. He could just imagine what Mr. Makimachi would say when he arrived and saw his daughter injured – he'd probably say that it was his wife's fault.

At that moment, a middle aged man dressed in a long white coat walked towards them, a clipboard in his hands. He stopped next to them, taking in their shorts and t-shirts (which they had worn for athletics).

"You're the ones that brought Makimachi Misao here?" he asked. Kenshin nodded.

"Hai," he said.

"Well, her knee has been fractured in two places …" said the doctor, slowly. Kenshin didn't need to look at his friend's to know how they felt.

"Is … is that bad?" asked Yahiko. The doctor looked thoughtfully at him.

"Well … she's lucky that that's all that has happened to her _knee_ …" he said. "Although she _has_ received other injuries …"

"Where?" asked Sano.

"From the x-ray we took of her ankle, it appears that she has sprained it – probably when she was running or something …" said the doctor.

"Will she be able to walk?" asked Soujirou.

"She will definitely be able to walk on her own in a month or so …" said the doctor, positively. "But until then, she will have to take care of herself well – if she doesn't, the injuries could take a longer time to heal or won't heal at all. That would be disastrous for her future." Everyone was silent as they let this bit of information sink in.

"She … won't be able to run or anything, will she?" asked Kenshin, knowing the answer already. The doctor shook his head hurriedly.

"Oh no, if she tries to do that, she'll injure herself more, and possibly will be unable to walk for the rest of her life …" he said. He caught the look of horror on Yahiko's face and sighed slowly. "I do not mean to scare you like that," he said, smiling at him. "I just thought I should exaggerate a little, to tell you what _can_ happen if she doesn't take care … its standard procedure for us doctors to do that so the patient takes greater care of herself …"

Yahiko sighed in relief. He had been getting _quite_ worried. " … Man …"

"How long will she need to stay in hospital for? Or can she go home immediately?" asked Sano.

"Well … she _can_ go home now – well, possibly tomorrow – if she likes …" said the doctor. "It's just that when they're in hospital, they can't try anything stupid and get injured again … they have to stick to our rules here, and we can be quite strict if we need to. When they go home, patients tend to try and be _normal_ and forget everything, if you know what I mean." Kenshin nodded.

"So … she'll be okay …" said Sano. The doctor nodded.

"She _will_ need a cast for her leg – at least for a while – and will then need to get her ankle bandaged …" he said. "I think she will need crutches to help her around …"

"Crutches?" spluttered Sano. He could just imagine Misao walking around with crutches, hitting everyone she despised as they walked by. He could only imagine the amount of times _he_ would get whacked by one of the crutches, not because she despised him, but because she just _liked_ whacking him.

"Yes," said the doctor. "Don't worry, they're not that difficult to use." Kenshin, Yahiko and Soujirou nodded, all three of them getting the same mental image of Misao with crutches as Sano had. Soujirou sweat dropped. Well … at least it would be fun … "Well, I must be on my way," said the doctor. "She's sleeping now, so it would be best if you didn't disturb her. Her mother and grandfather are with her anyway …" He nodded them. "And you'd do well to go and get some rest … good evening – er night."

They watched him walk away, before looking rather questioningly at each other. Kenshin resisted the urge to slap his hands over his ears as they started.

"What will she _say_ when she finds out she can't come for practice anymore?" asked Yahiko.

"Forget that, what'll she _do_?" asked Sano.

"She'll probably kill the person that tells her she can't run or anything," muttered Yahiko.

"But I'll kill Saito before that," said Sano. Soujirou sighed.

"Maybe we should all go home and get some rest," he said. Kenshin smiled at him.

"Yes, that is a brilliant idea, Soujirou," he said. "But … we should first tell Makimachi san …" Followed by Sano, Yahiko and Soujiro, he walked to the room Misao was in.

**That night:**

****

Mrs. Kamiya sighed as she washed the dishes she had just served dinner in. Glancing at the clock in the kitchen, she could see that it was almost 8:30 p.m. Where was Aoshi? She had a sinking feeling that something was wrong … If he knew his way back home, even if he had stayed for athletics practice, he should be home by now …

The sound of the doorbell ringing made her jump slightly. Wiping her hands with the brown serviette nearby, she walked out of the kitchen, heading towards the front door. Opening it, she came face to face with a rather tired looking Aoshi.

"Aoshi! Where have you been?" she asked, looking relieved and sounding worried.

"There was a problem during our athletics practice …" said Aoshi, rather wearily. "Sorry …" he added, as an after thought. Mrs. Kamiya shook her head.

"No, there's nothing to apologize for," she said, smiling at him. "You must be hungry … why don't you go and have a shower and come down again? I kept some food for you …" Aoshi wondered, for what seemed to him the millionth time, why Mrs. Kamiya was so … _worried_ and concerned about him …

" … Arigato Kamiya san …" he said, walking down the corridor and heading towards the stairs. Mrs. Kamiya closed and locked the door behind him and walked back into the kitchen, preparing to heat the food she had kept aside for Aoshi. She smiled tenderly as she put the dish into the microwave, knowing that Aoshi was probably wondering what was going on and why she was always so concerned about him.

Who wouldn't be concerned about their –

She shook her head. It was no point in her thinking about it when she couldn't tell him about it. She wished that she could tell him the truth … but that would involve Hisashi … and Kaoru … and would possibly lead to her family being torn apart. She didn't want that to happen …

Aoshi was about to open his room door – thinking he should go inside before he fell asleep in the corridor – when the door behind him opened. He turned around as Kaoru walked out of her room, stopping when she saw him.

"Aoshi san …" she said, surprised. "You're back. Kachan was worried about you." Aoshi nodded. So he had noticed.

"Hnn …" he said, wondering if he should tell her or not. From what he had observed that day during the midday break, he had got the impression that they were friends …

"Well … I'll let you change …" said Kaoru, smiling and making to walk away.

"Your friend …" said Aoshi, suddenly, making her stop. She turned to look at him.

"My friend?" she asked, more surprised that he had said something that wasn't 'yes', 'no', '… …' or a nod.

"Makimachi san … she's in hospital," said Aoshi. He watched Kaoru's facial expression change from one of surprise to fear.

"H – Hospital? Misao chan?" she spluttered. "Why? What happened to her?"

"She had some trouble with the hurdles during practice," said Aoshi, the image of a smiling Saito coming into his head. "I don't think it's anything serious – "

"That's why no one was at home then …" said Kaoru, remembering how no one had answered the door when she had rung the bell at the Kashiwazaki residence. "Will she be okay? Who took her to the hospital? Why wasn't I called?" Aoshi sighed inwardly. He shouldn't have told her …

"I think she'll be okay, Himura san and her three other friends took her to hospital, because Himura san said that you shouldn't be worried and that he'll tell you tomorrow …" he said, making a mental note that that was probably the longest sentence he had said … in quite a long time. Kaoru had no time to be amazed at the length of his 'speech.'

"I must see her – " she said, moving to her room, probably to get changed. Aoshi stopped her. "Aoshi san – "

"Visiting hours are probably over by now," he said, quietly. "And she was fast asleep – no one got to see her except, probably, for her mother." Kaoru sighed. He was right.

"Sou ka …" she said, looking at the ground. "Where were you all this time then?"

"At the hospital …" said Aoshi, not pleased at the way Kaoru's eyebrows almost reached the ceiling.

"You? H – Hospital?" she stammered. Aoshi had … actually gone to hospital to see Misao? She had thought that someone as uncaring as he was would just have shrugged it off and come straight home. Aoshi glared at her. That was the problem with helping people out … that was why he hated it when he got himself involved in other people's problems. People always showed their surprise that someone with 'his' character would actually _help_ someone …

" … …" He turned around and opened his room door, closing it behind him. Kaoru stared at the door, still surprised. She guessed that she shouldn't have shown her surprise … but _still_ … it was something to be surprised about …

"Kaoru? Is something wrong?" asked Mr. Kamiya, walking out of his room and seeing Kaoru standing outside _her_ room, staring at the closed door of the room in front of her. He frowned. That was Aoshi's room.

"Otosan …" said Kaoru, turning to her father.

"Did something happen with … that boy?" asked Mr. Kamiya, his expression hardening. Kaoru shook her head hurriedly.

"N – no …" she said. "But he said that Misao chan's in hospital …"

"What?! Why?" asked her father, concerned. Misao was practically a family member.

"She had an accident during her athletics practice …" said Kaoru, now beginning to wonder if he friend was _really_ going to be okay.

"Hmmm … I always thought that she was a little reckless …" commented her father. Kaoru grinned. Reckless wasn't the word for Misao … but something told her that this wasn't _her_ fault … that something had _happened_ for her to get herself in hospital …

**The next day at school:**

****

Kaoru wasn't listening to what her classmate was telling her. She was busy staring at the door to the class, waiting for two familiar figures to enter.

" – Kaoru chan are you listening to me?" asked the brown haired girl, seeing her far away gaze.

" – Huh? Oh … yeah, Saori chan …" mumbled Kaoru. Saori sighed.

"Never mind …" she grumbled. Kaoru was rewarded when she saw them walk into the class. She jumped out of her seat at once.

"Yahiko! Soujirou!" she exclaimed, startling them. "How _is_ she? What exactly happened? Will she be okay?" Soujirou smiled weakly at her. Being Misao's best _female_ friend, he guessed she had every right to worry about her.

"Long story, long story, long story," said Yahiko, sitting down at his desk and yawning as he answered her questions. Kaoru glared daggers at him before turning to Soujirou.

"Soujirou? Please tell me what happened …" she pleaded. Soujirou sighed.

"To cut a long story short, we were five minutes late for practice and _Saito_ decided to punish us by making us jump hurdles till the end of practice," he said, emphasizing on Saito's name and making Kaoru frown. "The hurdles were placed too close to each other – as there was not much space in the field – but he still made us jump. Misao chan couldn't keep up with her timing and fell onto the hurdle – her knee taking the impact of slamming into it." Kaoru winced.

"That must have hurt …" she whispered. Soujirou nodded.

"It did … she was trying her best not to cry out …" he said, remembering the way she had clutched his hand as Aoshi had massaged her knee.

"You know what?" asked Yahiko suddenly. "I've changed my opinion of that Shinomori guy … he's not as bad as he acted during break …"

"What do you mean?" asked Kaoru. "And are you talking about Aoshi san?"

"Yes," said Yahiko. "He was the first one to do something about Misao's knee … and he came with us to hospital before he went home …"

"What … did he do to Misao's knee?" asked Kaoru, now more surprised than she had been last night when Aoshi had told her about Misao.

"He massaged it, trying to quench the swelling," said Yahiko. Kaoru's jaw hit the ground.

"_He_ did that?" she asked. "_Aoshi san_ did _that_?" Soujirou smiled at her surprise.

"Yes he did," he said. Kaoru shook her head to get rid of her shock.

"Is Misao going to be alright?" she asked. Soujirou and Yahiko exchanged wary glances.

"Well … she's fractured her knee in two places," said Yahiko, slowly. "And she has also sprained her ankle."

"Oh no … she – she won't be able to walk for sometime, will she?" asked Kaoru. Soujirou nodded.

"The doctor said she _might_ need crutches, but if she's staying at home she won't need it …" he said.

"But that also means that she won't be able to run …" grumbled Yahiko. Kaoru understood why the two boys were looking wary.

"It's _good_ because she won't have to deal with _Saito_ again …" said Soujirou, speaking the senior's name with a trace of _venom_ in his voice. Kaoru wondered what he had done to make someone as easy going as Soujiro to speak of him like that.

"What … what did he do?" she asked, at last.

"He didn't listen to us when we told him it would be dangerous," said Yahiko. "And he didn't care about Misao being hurt – he demanded that we all continue practice, even when the ambulance came to get Misao …"

"Talk about a wolf's backside huh?" asked Kaoru, lamely. None of the boys said anything as the bell rang, conveniently interrupting their conversation.

"I won't forgive him … ever," said Yahiko, before turning to his desk.

"But … isn't that just the type of person he is?" asked Kaoru, turning to Soujirou for help. It wasn't that she didn't think that what Saito did was correct – she felt like giving him a piece of her mind – but … she just thought that different people reacted to stuff in different ways. Maybe there was a reason as to why Saito had acted like he had apparently –

"No, Kaoru … Yahiko's right …" said Soujirou, startling Kaoru as she expected him to back her up, being the _rational_ person he was. His eyes gleamed. "I don't think I'll be forgiving him anytime soon either."

Kaoru could only sit back at her desk, looking from one boy to the other as their teacher walked in for registration. She had a _bad_ feeling in her gut …

**At the same time:**

****

"WHAT????? You're JOKING!!!" Kenshin winced as Kurogawa sensei turned and glared at them. He kicked Shogo from underneath the desk, trying to get him to shut up. "YOUCH! What was that – "

"Amakusa! Himura!" called Kurogawa sensei.

"Ahaha … gomen, sensei," said Shogo, flashing another smile at her. She rolled her eyes before turning back to the diagram she was drawing on the board. Shogo turned back to Kenshin the moment she turned back to the board. "Is she going to be okay? Why didn't you tell me? I would have come at once!"

Aoshi rubbed his left temple as he heard Amakusa _whisper_ … although his _whispering_ was more like a normal tone of voice. He saw Kenshin turn to him with an apologetic smile on his face.

"Gomen, Aoshi …" he said, thinking he wanted to concentrate on his lesson.

" … …"

"Kenshin! Tell me!" whined Shogo.

"She's fine, I already told you," said Kenshin, refusing to explain the whole accident and outcome to him again.

"Fine? _Fine_? You call having two fractures on her knee and a sprained ankle _fine_?" asked Shogo.

"We're going to see her after practice today … you _can_ tag along …" said Kenshin, smiling innocently at him. Shogo glared at him.

"Is she still in hospital?" he asked. Kenshin shook his head.

"I think they're taking her back home today … I'm not sure …" he said. Shogo sighed.

"She doesn't even know who I am …" he said. "No point in me going at all …"

"She knows who you are alright," said Kenshin, fighting the urge to burst out laughing. "She remembers the incident during the school fair when Amakusa Shogo almost killed Soujiro with death glares, thinking that Soujiro was going out with her …" Shogo turned red.

"I – I _wasn't_ giving him death glares!" he said. "I was … I was just thinking how lucky he was … er – she was …"

"Hai hai …" said Kenshin.

"At least it wasn't a car accident or anything …" said Shogo, sighing. "When you told me she met with an accident … man, I thought she had _died_ or something in a car accident …"

He didn't notice Kenshin's smile disappear, as he was looking relieved at his book.

Kenshin turned grave as the words '_car accident_' replayed themselves in his head. He wished his friend hadn't brought them up … He shook his head. No, it was a good thing that he _did_ bring the words up. There was no point in him hiding from reality … he had to learn to accept what had happened two years ago … The failure of the car brakes … the failure of the attempt to overtake the van in front of them … the failure of his duty as her –

" – shin? Kenshin?" Kenshin looked up hurriedly.

"H – Hai?" he asked. Shogo gave him a weird look.

"You okay? You sort of spaced out there …" he said. Kenshin laughed.

"That's me, Himura 'spacing out' Kenshin," he said. Shogo shook his head.

"Why I hang out with demented people like you really puzzles me …" he said.

"Oro???"

"See what I mean?"

**Later on:**

****

"I would like to get my hands on him," said Megumi, her eyes slits in her face as Sano finished the story of yesterday's accident. She may be a conniving, annoying person, but she cared about her friends.

"You _so_ wouldn't be the only one," said Yahiko. Soujirou chose to stare at his untouched tray of food.

"I've half a mind not to go for practice today …" said Sano, poking at his salad.

"But if you do _that_, our school will suffer … not Saito …" said Kenshin, sitting down next to Kaoru and smiling at her.

"Ken san …" said Megumi, smiling at him as well.

"What do you mean our school will suffer?" asked Kaoru, glaring at Megumi and trying to smile at Kenshin at the same time which was _impossible_.

"We need all the support and team members we can get to defeat … no, to win the Athletics tournament this year," said Kenshin. "It won't happen if our good runners start dropping out of the team or if they stop attending practice. It'll only make Saito happy as he'll think you've chickened out."

"WHAT?!" spluttered Sano. "Chickened out?" he said, lowering his voice as people around them stared at him. Kenshin nodded.

"We need to put up with whatever he chooses to dish out to us," he said. "And prove that … we _can_ survive him … no matter what he does to us."

"But … it's because of him that Misao's might not even be able to take part in the tournament!" protested Yahiko. Kenshin sighed.

"Yes, there _is_ that point …" he said.

"But she'll get better, won't she?" asked Kaoru. "If she rests, she'll get better in time for the tournament … won't she?" Sano, Yahiko, Soujirou and Kenshin exchanged glances.

"Let's hope she will …" said Soujirou. Silence reigned around the table. Megumi sighed.

"It sure is _quiet_ with her here …" she said. Everyone nodded. Misao was probably the loudest of them all – except of course, Sano and Yahiko.

"I hope she gets better soon …" said Kaoru, slowly. Kenshin smiled warmly at her, understanding her concern for her best friend.

"Don't worry, Kaoru san," he said. "It's Misao chan after all …"

**And finally:**

****

Aoshi sat down in front of the 'cabin' again, finally deciding that that was the one peaceful place in the whole compound. He stared at the sandwiches on his tray, not really feeling like eating. He turned to stare at the area around him, when he sensed a familiar presence. He scowled inwardly.

Great. _Just_ what he needed.

"You again …" said a voice, sounding resigned.

"My sentiments exactly," replied Aoshi, curtly.

"Hnn … have you decided?" asked Saito, standing in front of him.

"What?" asked Aoshi.

"About the athletics team …" said Saito, rolling his eyes and slipping the cigarette into his mouth.

"You expect me to join the team under _your_ command?" asked Aoshi.

"No, I expect you to join the team under the chicken brain's command …" said Saito.

"I don't think so," said Aoshi, ignoring the attempts Saito made to incense him. Saito snorted, sending out puffs of smoke at him.

"Yes well, a chicken will always be a chicken …" he said, lazily. Aoshi's head snapped up as he glared at him.

"Excuse me? Did you just call me a chicken?" he asked.

"Oh, _lookie_, the kid's gotten smart!" said Saito, sarcastically.

" … … Yeah, he's gotten smart enough to realize that joining _your_ team is sheer suicide …" said Aoshi, counting to ten mentally.

"Heh," said Saito, grinning evilly. "By the way, how's the weasel?" It took Aoshi a second to realize who he was talking about, and when he did, he fixed him with a cold glance.

"Why do you want to know? You got her into that accident in the first place …" he said.

"_Touchy_ …" said Saito.

" … Apparently two fractures on the knee and a sprained ankle …" Saito smirked.

"That means she won't be coming for practice for a little while …"

" … You sound happy …"

"Oh I am. _Very_ happy …" Aoshi shook his head. Sometimes, he really wondered if he was related to this guy. He _really_ disgusted him. He stood up, taking the tray of food with him, his appetite, once again, deserting him. If he didn't do something about it soon, he was going to starve himself to death.

"They won't let this go easily," he said, indifferently, before walking away.

"Like I'm afraid of some puny first years and a pun_ier_ third year …" retorted Saito.

**A/N**

Well … I hope that was okay! I can always re-do it if it wasn't, but I hope it was. The next update will come as soon as possible …

Reviews are most welcome!

See ya soon!

Siriusgirl1


	8. Practice

**Disclaimer:**

I own Aoshi … who said I didn't? He's MINE … ALL MINE … in my dreams.

A/N

I realized that this should be chapter _seven_ and the previous chapter should have been chapter _six_. Sorry about that mistake! Anyway … this chapter got a bit too long as I was typing, and I apologize profusely for that. I hope the content is okay though.

Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks to:

**Leila Jenkins:** I've updated, I've updated! Am I _still_ being hunted?? Heh … thanks for your review and enjoy!

**sonia (): **Thank you for your review ... why did I take so long? Well I did my GCE O'levels this May, and I was kinda banned from using the computer, unless it was for my computer projects. Sorry about that! And ... about Aoshi and Misao, in _this_ chapter, there are more of their _thoughts_ than any 'action.' Don't worry though, because the next chapter will have them meeting again ... at her - no, I shouldn't tell you that. I hope you like this!

****

**Chapter Seven: Practice**

****

****

****

She opened her eyes groggily. It took a few seconds for her to get her eyes _properly_ opened, and when she did, she had to deal with the problem of registering her surroundings. She turned to her right and saw a rather large window, with its curtains opened, allowing the bright rays of the sun to filter into the room. She frowned slightly … where was – ah … she was in her room.

That meant that she was back at home. But what was she doing –

She winced. She had been moving her legs, trying to get up, when pain shot through her knee and ankle. It came back to her at that precise moment. The athletics practice … the hurdles … her _accident_ … the hospital …

"ACK!" she exclaimed, trying to move and once more wincing as pain shot through her right leg. She gave up on trying to get off the bed and turned her head wildly toward her bedside table. The clock on it said that it was – she paled – it was 10:25 a.m. _10:25 a.m. _**10:25 a.m.**

She moaned. She must have overslept. She frowned. How could she have overslept? Surely her alarm would have woken her up? And how could she go to school like this? She'd be marked 'late' or 'absent.' She heard her door open and looked up to see her mother enter the room. She saw her face light up as she saw her.

"Misao … you're awake," said Mrs. Makimachi, walking inside. She placed the tray in her hands on the table, and moved to her daughter's side. "How do you feel?"

"Er … weird …" said Misao. Her mother smiled.

"The painkillers must have got you disoriented then …" she said.

"Painkillers?" echoed Misao. Her mother nodded.

"Yes … in fact, you have to take some after every meal," she said. "Don't even think about saying you won't take any painkillers, you aren't allergic to _all_ types of painkillers." Mrs. Makimachi had been quite worried herself when the doctor had prescribed Misao some painkillers. She had told him that painkillers didn't fit in with Misao's system very well. When she was nine, she had fallen down the stairs and had injured her wrist. The doctor had given her some painkillers … Instead of reducing the pain for her they had served to make her feel queasy, and eventually caused her to throw up quite frequently.

The doctor had prescribed a different brand of painkiller, which had had the same effect on her.

Misao sighed. "Kachan … is my knee _bad_?" she asked. Her mother looked at her, smiling, although she knew it would be hard for her daughter to accept it.

"Well … you know that you have fractured your knee in two places, don't you?" she asked. Misao furrowed her brows, before nodding slowly. Yes … she remembered – albeit vaguely – what the doctor had told her when he had come to see her in the morning. Hang on … which morning was that?

"Er … yeah …" she said.

"You have also managed to sprain your ankle," said her mother. Misao's eyes widened. She didn't need to be Albert Einstein to know that it was virtually _impossible_ to run with a sprained ankle.

"I … " She stopped as the whole meaning of what had come into her mind _actually _hit her. The Inter School's Athletics tournament … the practices … "I – I won't be able to run … will I, Kachan?" Mrs. Makimachi stared sympathetically at her daughter.

"I can't tell you that _for sure_, Misao," she said, stroking her daughter's head. "For a little while, yes, it will be difficult for you to run …" Misao lowered her eyes. That meant that she wouldn't be able to take part in the tournament either … and that …

"Can I walk?" she asked, still hopeful. Her mother sighed.

"No, Misao … not for some time. In due time, you will be able to walk around the house – but going to school – at least for now – is out of the question," she said.

"But – can't I – can't I get crutches or something?" stammered Misao.

"You can, but you need to rest first," said Mrs. Makimachi.

"Kachan! If I get crutches, I will be resting! I won't be walking _directly_ with my feet- I'll – " Misao stopped when she saw the rather stern expression on her mother's face.

"Misao, you _might_ get crutches in due time," she said. "But until then, you will have to rest. Don't you want to do everything _correctly_ so that you can have the _chance_ of participating in the tournament? Who knows, if you rest and do as you're told, you could very well recover before the tournament …"

Misao stared at her lap. She guessed her mother was right … then again, there was _hardly_ a time when she was wrong – although she would never admit that to her.

It was no point acting pessimistic … that wasn't like her. She should be normal …

But how was she supposed to be that when she knew that she had a 99.23% probability of _not_ being able to participate in the tournament? Glancing at her mother, she saw the somewhat pained look on her face, and her negative thoughts vanished. There was no point in worrying her mother about her _mental_ state as well as her _physical_ state.

"Hai, hai …" she said at last. "If you say so …" Mrs. Makimachi smiled at her daughter.

"Good girl … now – " She was cut off by the sound of Misao's stomach growling. Misao flushed. "I was _about_ to say lets get you some food …  
said her mother. "But I guess your stomach beat me to it." Chuckling at her daughter's embarrassed face; she took the tray from the table and placed it on Misao's lap.

Misao inhaled the mixed aroma of the soup and picked up her chopsticks. "Itadakimasu!" Mrs. Makimachi smiled again as she watched her devour her food. She hadn't thought that she'd be _this_ hungry. Misao looked up as a thought entered her mind. "Kachan, why aren't you at the Aoiya?" she asked.

"Er – everyone's working there today … and there really was no need for me to go there …" said her mother, flustered. Misao grinned cheekily.

"And I suppose that you won't be needed there until my leg completely heals?" she asked.

"Er – yes … I suppose so …" said her mother. Misao smirked. Once she had finished eating the tray was taken away, and her mother helped her shift to a more comfortable position, propping pillows behind her so that she could sit up on bed comfortably. Mrs. Makimachi moved the bed covers off her daughter and replaced them with a smaller, thinner sheet – for Misao to cover herself up with if she got cold. "This _might_ hurt a bit …" she said as she lifted Misao's right leg up as gently as she could, so that she could place the pillow underneath it.

Misao grimaced as pain seared up her leg through her knee, and as her ankle started throbbing. She smiled weakly at her mother, trying to show her that she was fine. Her mother, however, knew otherwise. Once Misao was comfortable with a notepad, a few pens and some books by her side, she stood up with the tray.

"I'll be downstairs Misao, so try not to get off the bed. If you need anything, call me," she said.

"Hai, Kachan," said Misao.

"I _really_ mean **don't get off the bed**," repeated her mother, before she walked outside. "And I'm not closing the door … okay?" Misao nodded, waiting, with the smile on her face, until her mother disappeared from her sight. When she was gone, she sighed, her shoulders slumping. She glanced at the window again.

Looking back at the clock, she saw that it was 11:00 a.m. now. She sighed again. In two hours and forty minutes, everyone else would be at athletics practice … whilst she was at home, lying in bed, with _nothing_ to do.

Then again, being unable to see that – that _creature's_ – face was a _good_ thing, wasn't it? She scowled as a picture of her _dear_ Captain flashed through her head, the sadistic grin suiting his _evil_ features well. She wondered _why_ he was chosen as their captain instead of Sano – or even Kenshin.

The picture of Saito was replaced by a different one … this person had short black hair, of which a few bangs fell into his startling _ice_ blue eyes. His face was effectively _expressionless_ in her 'picture' and he just … stared.

She unconsciously placed her hand on her right knee as she remembered _who _had massaged it yesterday, after she had fallen. She could still see the mask of concentration he had worn on his face as he massaged her knee … She squirmed as the 'picture' of him stayed where it was in her head.

" … Shinomori … Aoshi …" she said aloud, as his name entered her mind. She shook her head hard, bringing her out of her reverie, flushing. Why was she thinking about _him_? Fine, he did help her out when she had fallen – no, when she had made a fool of herself … but still … that was all the more reason for her to forget about him.

_Darn that Kaoru … living in the same house as him …_

She shook her head again, getting more and more aggravated. WHAT was WRONG with HER??????? **Why **in god's name was she thinking about a **complete stranger** who she knew **nothing** about?

"Mou Misao chan … get a grip on yourself …" she muttered to herself, not even wanting to think of what Kaoru would say if she found out that, not only had she thought that he was a 'good-looking burglar,' she was constantly thinking of him too. She shuddered. If Kaoru found that out … it would be Misao's cue to hop aboard the next flight to Mars.

Besides, the chances of _him_ thinking about _her_ were roughly around -0.000000000000000000000000.1% In other words, the chances of him thinking about her were ZERO.

_Darn it­_ – she grimaced again as she unconsciously moved her leg, causing her to find herself in the midst of around twelve cute, bubbly stars.

She _really_ needed to get a life …

**Mitsurugi ****High School****; ****1:23 pm****:**

****

Kaoru glanced from Soujirou to Yahiko as their Physics teacher droned on with his explanation on the law 'f = m a.' She couldn't help it. She usually listened to everything Mikimoto sensei said about Physics – it being one of the subjects she _knew_ something about – but today …

She could see Yahiko, who was seated in front of her, sitting rather stiffly, as though he was dreading the sound of the bell ringing to signal the end of school. The desk next to Yahiko's was empty – being Misao's desk – and Soujirou was seated next to it, a small frown on his face.

Kaoru sighed. She wanted to know what they were going to do. Were they going to go for athletics practice? Or were they just going to go home? She bit her lip thoughtfully. She understood why they wanted to go home, but she also understood what Kenshin had said – that if they ditched the team _now_, it would be the _school_ that suffered, not the captain.

Then again, with Misao's 'accident' and 'injuries' in their minds, how could they possibly _go_ for the practice, especially when they harbored murderous thoughts towards Saito? She usually wouldn't have got worried, but this time, Soujirou seemed to share Sano's and Yahiko's feelings – about wanting to get revenge from Saito.

Why was that making her so worried? Soujirou never – and she meant **never** – harbored such horrible feelings towards another human being. It took quite a lot to make him angry – _if_ he got angry at all – and when he did …

Come to think of it, she had never seen Soujirou get angry before … Then how did she know that it would be ugly if he got angry? She guessed that it had something to do with the thought that quiet people usually get the _angriest_ when they were angered.

She shook her head. She was not making sense at _all_. She guessed that she could count on Kenshin to stop the three boys from doing anything stupid … but what it they didn't listen to him? As it was, Sano treated him as a joke – all in the name of friendship – and Yahiko treated him like a _16_ year old boy, instead of an 18 year old senior.

She paled. What if … what if _Kenshin_ lost it too?

Nah … that was _impossible_. Kenshin wouldn't lose it like that. He would make Saito see his error in doing what he did when he made Misao, Yahiko and Soujirou jump the hurdles yesterday – in a _less _violent, more practical way. But as for her other three friends …

She checked her wristwatch and saw that it was 1:25 pm. She had five more minutes to think of something – at least to make sure that nothing happened to make Saito kick the four of them out of the team – although he might not be able to kick his vice captain off … She fought the urge to scream. As it was, she felt like yanking the hairs out of her head one by one … and this temptation to scream wasn't helping it.

Wasn't there _anyone_ she could count on the team? There was Arizuka kun – Arizuka Shihiro – but she knew that he was dead scared of Saito and wouldn't do anything to stop Sano, Yahiko and Soujirou even _if_ they got into a fight.

It was 1:26. She chewed bit hard on her lip – unconsciously of course – and growled as she tasted blood. If she didn't think of anything soon … she'd have to explain to Misao _why_ Sano, Soujirou and Yahiko had got kicked off the team … and she didn't think that she'd like that. Especially since they would have done it out of anger towards what had happened to her …

_Why_ couldn't there have been a … a _sane_ person on that athletics team? Well, fine, there _were_ sane people … but she needed someone – someone _stable_ … someone who wouldn't … who would see to it that things went smoothly … someone who wouldn't take sides.

But _where_ was she going to find such a person? The name that came into her mind when she thought of all those qualities was Aoshi, but he wasn't –

Hang on … he was … Aoshi san … he _was_ on the team – or at least had been yesterday. He was _stable_, wouldn't take sides – since he didn't know Saito _or_ her and her friends too well – and he would see to it that things went smoothly...

Her eyes brightened. That was it. There was her answer – Aoshi. Her eyes lost their gleam as she wondered _how_ in gods name she was going to ask Aoshi to help her out …

She buried her face in her hands. What if he said n –

**RIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGGG!!!! RRRRRRIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG!!! RRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!!!**

She looked up startled. The bell had rung? She vaguely heard Mikimoto sensei telling them to read some page or the other before the next lesson as she packed her bag quickly. She didn't have time to stop and write it down – she'd get it from someone later on. She stood up and was about to walk away from her desk, when she stopped.

Yahiko and Soujirou were taking their time in packing their things, making her wonder whether they were going for practice or not.

"Ano … are you two going for practice?" she asked, standing beside Yahiko's desk. Yahiko stared at his bag. She turned to Soujirou who was busy fiddling with the zipper of _his_ bag. "Sou?" He sighed as he looked at her.

"Yes, we're going," he said. Kaoru noticed that he didn't sound too happy about it.

"You're – you're not going to … to do anything stupid … are you?" she asked, slowly. Yahiko snorted.

"Oh _no_," he said. "Honestly, what do you take us for?" Kaoru refused to be calmed so soon.

"You won't do anything to _him_ will you?" she asked.

"I told you Kaoru, we won't do anything _stupid_," said Yahiko, grinning at her. "This is why we're not going away from this practice without doing something to Saito." Kaoru gulped. One look at the other boy's face told her that he felt the same.

Now was a good time to talk to Aoshi.

"Well … I'll see you two tomorrow then," she said, as brightly as she could. "Er – don't do anything you'll regret to Saito san either …" With a wave, she was gone.

**At the same time:**

****

Kenshin walked out of his math class, his face grim. People stared at him in surprise. _Very _rarely was Himura Kenshin's face _grim_ … even if the world were to collapse, he would just say 'Oro?'

(Okay, maybe that was exaggerating his character a little, but you get the point don't you?)

He wondered what would happen during athletics today. He wondered whether anyone would show up in the first place. He shook his head. No, he was sure Sano would show up … especially after hearing what he said about 'chickening out' during break. He had said that – although it was true – mainly for Sano to feel that he _had_ to attend this practice.

He had said the thing about the school suffering instead of Saito if they didn't turn up in hopes of getting Soujirou and Yahiko to see his point. It was true; the _school_ would suffer if they dropped out of the team, not Saito, who would probably laugh in glee.

He was worried about the two younger boys – more so about Soujirou. He was _very_ close to Misao – closer than Yahiko, and possibly Kaoru – and he saw his worry at the hospital yesterday, and what he had said about wanting to run into Saito in a dark alley.

He sighed, once again wondering why his red hair hadn't turned grey with the amount of things he had to think about. Would they turn up? If so, would they stop themselves from trying to kill Saito? Would they go home? If so, would they leave the team forever?

"Ahhh … and I thought coming back to school was a _good_ idea …" he said to himself, as he walked down the corridor.

Kaoru ran down the corridor as fast as she could, looking wildly around her for the tall, black haired boy. She skidded to a halt suddenly. It wasn't hard to find him – she just had to check to see where all the third year girls were. He'd be there for sure – or rather, they would be following him.

Sure enough, he was walking towards her, eyes closed and seemingly oblivious to the throng of girls that was following him. She sighed, shaking her head, before she ran up to him.

"Aoshi san," she said, quietly. His eyes snapped open, and widened slightly as they landed on her.

"K … Kamiya san …"

"Er – 'Kaoru's' fine; you call Okasan 'Kamiya san' too," said Kaoru, shaking her head.

" … … …" Kaoru gulped.

"Aoshi san, are you staying you for athletics practice today?" she asked, noting that the time was now 1:32. The practice started at 1:40.

" … No …" said Aoshi, somewhat surprised at the question. He saw her shoulders droop.

"Aoshi san, can you _please, please_ do me a _huge_ favour?" asked Kaoru, looking at him hopefully.

"A … favour?" he echoed. Kaoru nodded.

"You see, Soujirou, Yahiko, Sano – and I guess Kenshin can be included too – want to – want to _kill_ Saito san for … for Misao chan's accident," she said, hurriedly, well aware of the glares the girls were giving her. "And – and I have a bad feeling that they'll do something to him today. Kenshin might not, but I don't think that he'll be able to hold them off either." She stopped, taking a deep breath, deciding that she might as well rant on while she was given the chance. "And – and I know that you don't feel angry with Saito san for what happened to Misao chan, and that you don't feel angry with Soujirou and everyone else for feeling angry with _Saito_ for what he did to Misao chan – "

"Kam – Kaoru san – "

" – So can you _please, **please**_ go for practice today, in case something happens? You won't be taking any side – you don't have to. It's just that you're dependable and … and _stable_. You'll be able to knock some sense into all of them – Saito san _and _everyone else so – "

" – Kaoru san – "

" – I know it's awful of me to ask you to do that - but … _please_ Aoshi san? I'll make it up to you somehow. I'll – I'll clean your room up – or – I'll get those girls to stop following you – but please?" Kaoru finally stopped, out of breath, and stared at him, her deep blue eyes piercing his ice blue eyes pleadingly.

He stared at her for a minute or two, quite unsure of what he was supposed to do. She wanted him to go for the practice to avoid a fight from breaking out? He _could_ do that … but … Saito would simply _kill_ him. She didn't know that he was his cousin …

Then again, it served Saito right to be beaten up – it would hopefully bring his ego down a few notches. But … it would _probably_ result in Himura san and the rest getting suspended off the team.

He frowned. He supposed that _after_ they were suspended from the team (_if_ they started a fight), the Makimachi girl would blame it on _herself_, as the fight would have broken out on _her_ behalf, and the last thing an injured person needed was to feel responsible for other people.

Why was _he_ so bothered about this _anyway_? They weren't _his_ friends or family … although … Saito was his _cousin _and he was living in Kaoru's house … Not to mention the offer to get the girls to stop following him aroundall the time _did_ sound tempting …

He glanced back at Kaoru, to see her look somewhat defeated as she turned her gaze away from his eyes. He could see the mixture of hope, together with desperation and 'to be' disappointment in her deep blue eyes.

An image of _him_ pleading with his father to allow him to go to the park even though it was raining flashed in his head. He guessed that the disappointment at his father's refusal to allow him to go was similar to what Kaoru was feeling – although he had been seven at the time, and she was sixteen now and the two problems were _far_ from being similar …

He was again struck by the _… aspect_ of her … of her face … that reminded him of … _him_. He cursed mentally as that thought awoke several _other_ thoughts in his head; namely those about _why_ Kamiya san was letting him stay with her, and who _he_ was to _her_.

He sighed inwardly, bringing himself out of his thoughts. It was then that he saw Kaoru beginning to turn away from him.

"Kam – Kaoru san …" he said, although he was not pleased with himself for what he was about to say _and_ do. " … I'll go …" In a way, he _somehow_ felt a little _happy_ that he had said that. The look in her eyes and on her face was _enough_ compensation …

She spun around to face him again, her eyes beaming at him and the smile she gave him made him feel uncomfortable. He couldn't remember the day he had made someone _that_ happy … making them look as though ALL their _dreams_ had come true …

" … Arigato, Aoshi san," she said, elated. He nodded curtly at her. The only problem was … where was he going to get an extra set of clothes from? As though she had read his mind, Kaoru spoke up. "Sano always brings an extra set of clothes …" she said. He stared at her for a moment, before shaking his head.

He'd do something about that … but first, he needed to hurry. It was 1:38 already – he had two minutes to get there on time. Nodding at her again, he sprinted down the corridor, and disappeared down the stairs. Kaoru stared after him, still beaming like a Cheshire cat. She had never thought that Aoshi would agree to do something like this.

_Well Kaoru, that just goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover … AND its 'behaviour' in Aoshi san's case …_

__

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

****

Mrs. Makimachi poked her head into her daughter's room as she walked past it, checking to see if she was alright. She smiled to herself as she saw her sleeping. She guessed that it would take Misao a little while to shake off the after effects of the painkillers. Still smiling, she walked down the stairs, feeling that she ought to check up on her father at the Aoiya. There was no telling what he would be doing there – if he hadn't already blown the restaurant into pieces.

Reaching the phone downstairs, she dialed the restaurant's number and waited patiently for someone to answer.

"Moshi moshi?" said a familiar female voice. Makimachi Rika smiled.

"Omasu? It's me, Rika," she said.

"Rika san! How's Misao chan? Is she okay? Okina told me what happened to her, although I think he exaggerated a bit when he said that her knee was _just about to come off_," said Omasu. Rika laughed. Trust her father to say something like that.

"Misao's okay … she's sleeping peacefully," she said. "How's everything there? Is the restaurant still standing?"

"Oh, it is _now_. But I'm not sure how long it'll _stay_ standing," said Omasu, sounding amused. "Okina's currently annoying Ochika and I'm sure that she'll explode in a while. He hid all the sponge cakes she made in the morning as well, and still hasn't given them back … so yes, things will get dangerous soon." Rika sighed.

"Maybe I should have come ..." she said.

"Oh no! There's no need to worry about us. Whatever happens here, we _do_ have two faithful guys here with us," said Omasu. "I don't think Shiro and Kuro will ever go mad like Okina, Ochika and I." She paused. "Besides, you need to stay with Misao chan now … and until she gets better."

"Hai, hai, _Okasama_," said Rika, smiling. "Well, I'll leave you to your work. And look after Otosan… there's no telling what he'll do on the spur of the moment."

"Of course … I think we figured that out already, Rika san," said Omasu. "Tell Misao chan we said hi! See you soon!"

"Hai, ja ne Omasu," said Rika, putting the receiver back in its place. She sighed. She should have known that sending her father to the restaurant – by himself – was dangerous. Although he had _had_ been running that restaurant for a few years _before_ _she_ was born. She turned around, heading for the kitchen.

It was time to prepare Misao's lunch – although she had had a pretty late breakfast.

**Mitsurugi ****High School****; ****1:45 pm****:**

****

Aoshi sighed as he walked towards the grounds. He was angry with Kaoru for making him do this _stupid_ thing. He was angry with Saito for getting him to come for the practice on the first day and get involved in this whole mess in the first place. He was angry with his Aunt and Uncle for forcing him to stay at the Kamiya household.

He was angry with Mr. Kamiya for treating him like he was some kind of '_bad boy'_ who had his eye on _his_ daughter. He was angry with Kamiya san for making him feel like there was a _reason_ for him to _try_ and be polite to her. He was angry with his mother for not being there when he needed her (if she had been around, he wouldn't be stuck with the Kamiya's). He was angry with his father for leaving him.

He was angry with _time_ for going so fast. He was five minutes late for the practice, and he wasn't exactly in the _mood_ to face Saito and his snide remarks – not now.

And finally, he was angry with himself for getting involved in the Makimachi girl's accident, for listening to Kaoru, and for agreeing to do what she asked him to do, _and_ for telling Saito during break that he _wasn't_ going to join the athletics team here. Honestly, Eigamura High School – his previous school – hadn't been like this. People left him alone there, respecting his privacy, whereas here …

"Well, well, well …" He stopped walking, being snapped out of his thoughts rather rudely. He mentally counted to ten. "What do we have here? And I thought you _weren't_ going to join …"

" … I learnt it from you," he said, in reply. "Say one thing and do another thing." He stared evenly at Saito, who was smirking at him.

"You're _late_," he said, simply. Aoshi nodded.

"Indeed," he said. He had gotten late because he had been looking for Sagara Sanosuke everywhere, but hadn't found him. Bumping into his classmate Amakusa Shogo, he had been asked what the problem was, and after telling him, had been given a pair of baggy shorts and a t-shirt. It turned out that Amakusa Shogo brought two sets of clothing with him whenever he stayed for swimming practice.

"I should _punish_ you …" said Saito, enjoying this. Aoshi's steely eyes didn't change.

"… By making me jump hurdles that are too close to each other?" He knew that he shouldn't have said that, but he couldn't help himself. Saito's smirk in reply only made him begin to think that perhaps counting to _hundred_ would be better.

"If you'd like … I could arrange for that …" he said. He turned serious. "However, I'll let you go for today." Aoshi didn't show his surprise – as a _normal_ person would have, at Saito's sudden 'change of heart.' Knowing Saito, he knew that he was probably planning another way to punish him. Something … less _direct_.

Sano cursed, causing the people next to him to cower slightly. He smiled in apology at the rather timid second year girl that looked somewhat frightened at his outburst. Turning away from her, he looked back at the track, waiting to see if his partner was anywhere near. They had been divided into separate teams, and the team he was in had to practice relay running. Sawakita Kaede – another quite good second year – and Honda Miyoko were on his team. Kaede was supposed to hand over the baton to Miyoko, and Miyoko was supposed to hand it to him after running.

On the other team – opposing him – were Ikanji Miyamoto, Mitsui Yoriko and Kenshin. Sano had overheard Kenshin telling his team that he would run last. He had told them that it was to stop Sano's team from getting the lead, but Sano knew that it was because that way, Kenshin could keep an eye on him and make sure that he wouldn't do anything to Saito. Especially since the track took them past Saito.

He couldn't help but feel his blood boil as he thought of Saito. He _desperately_ wanted to teach him a lesson, but Kenshin had told him – whilst practically tearing his hair out – that if he did that, Saito would have the authority to kick him off the team, in which case, winning the athletics tournament would be difficult.

He sighed. Miyoko was in sight now – he'd have to get ready now – He broke off his thoughts and glanced ahead (past Miyoko), looking at the spot Saito was standing on. Squinting, he saw another person standing next to him. He couldn't tell who the person was, but from his build, he could tell for sure that he wasn't Hiko Seijiro sensei.

He turned to the other team on his left.

"Kenshin!" Kenshin, getting ready to run as he saw _his_ team member approach him, looked at Sano, startled.

"Hai?"

"Where's Hiko Seijiro sensei?" Kenshin said nothing. He had been wondering about their coach's absence too. It wasn't like him to _not_ attend practices.

"Maybe … maybe he's getting late …" he said, smiling. There was no need to worry him anyway.

"You know as well as I do that sensei doesn't get _late_," said Sano, glaring at him.

"Ororo …" Kenshin smiled stupidly, hoping to throw Sano off track. The truth was, he was feeling somewhat worried too. Hiko Seijiro never got late. Their 'conversation' was cut short when Miyoko and Yoriko ran up to them, batons held out. Sano grabbed it from Miyoko and started running at a slow pace, Kenshin following him.

"Do you think … Saito could have done something to him?" asked Sano, looking worried. Kenshin sweat dropped.

"Ano … I don't think he's _that_ bad…" he said, smiling.

"WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO _TALK_ WHILE YOU'RE ON THE TRACK?" Saito's raised voice reached their ears, making them wince. "IF YOU CAN'T RUN, CHICKEN BRAIN, _DON'T."_

"Grrr …" growled Sano, continuing to run. "I'm telling you, he's done something to Sensei."

"Ororo …"

Aoshi could imagine the growth of hatred that would be taking place in Sagara Sanosuke, towards Saito. He couldn't blame him. Saito turned to him.

"Seta and the others are practicing their timing for the 4 into 100 meter race. Go join them," he said. Aoshi nodded, walking up to the group pf people on the other track.

As he approached them, he saw Myoujin san holding a stopwatch as he timed Seta Soujirou. He watched, interested. From what he had seen yesterday, Seta Soujirou was a pretty good athlete, his speed being _amazing_. The fact that Saito 'complimented' him in a way during the hurdles incident … told him that he had Saito's respect, which was enough to say that he was good. If someone like _Saito_ had said 'not bad' to him …

Soujirou finished running, and thanked Shihiro as he passed him a towel. He turned to Yahiko, catching sight of Aoshi at the same time. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Aoshi san …" he said, smiling at him. Aoshi nodded curtly as everyone turned around.

"You decided to come and join us?" asked Yahiko.

" … … …" Was he supposed to say that he only came today to stop them from getting into a fight with Saito? Somehow, he got the feeling that that wouldn't be the correct answer. Yahiko shrugged, turning back to his stopwatch.

"Whoa! Soujirou, you've improved by – by three minutes and 2.58 seconds!" he said, impressed. Soujirou scratched his head. "You did this in six minutes and 0.48 seconds. That's _amazing_!"

"Eeto … it's not as good as you make it sound …" mumbled Soujirou, looking at his feet. Yahiko slapped him hard on the back.

"Stop being so modest! It's _way_ better than my nine minutes and 9.87 seconds!" he said. Soujirou grinned sheepishly, before turning to Arizuka Shihiro.

"Shihiro san, you're next," he said, taking the set of towels the rather plump boy had in his hands. Shihiro nodded and took his place on the track. Yahiko still had the stopwatch.

"Okay … on your marks … get set … ready … GO!" Shihiro started running. The other people around them started cheering, to encourage him. Soujirou smiled as he turned to Aoshi again.

"Aoshi san, do you want to go next?" he asked. Aoshi nodded slowly. He might as well.

"Oh man …" grumbled Yahiko, looking up from the stopwatch.

"What?" asked Soujirou.

"Trouble," was all Yahiko said, as he nodded behind them. Soujirou and Aoshi turned around, only to spot Saito walked up to them. Aoshi sighed inwardly. When did Saito make it his profession to annoy a _certain_ group of people?

"Trouble?" echoed Soujirou. Something in his voice made Aoshi turn to look at him – together with Yahiko. "Oh no … I think it's a golden opportunity …" The brown haired boy's face had a smile in it, which would have fooled others, but one look at his eyes told Yahiko and Aoshi a different story. Soujirou meant business.

"I don't remember asking a _meeting_ to be held," said Saito, stopping beside them. He glanced around at everyone, before settling his gaze on Yahiko. "What was your time, _brat_?" Yahiko didn't look up from the stopwatch as he watched the numbers change speedily. Aoshi glanced at him. "I believe I asked you something, brat."

Soujirou saw Yahiko clench his fist. "Nine minutes and 9.87 seconds," he said, answering for him. Saito turned towards him.

"And since when did you become his _spokesman_?" he asked.

"Since the day we had a few changes made in this team," replied Soujirou, not turning his blue eyes away from Saito's. Aoshi glanced at Soujirou this time. Saito raised his eyebrows.

"And _what_ changes are you talking about, Seta?" he asked.

"Being a more knowledgeable _senior_, shouldn't you know what changes I'm talking about, Saito _san_?" asked Soujirou, politely. Yahiko had given up on the stopwatch and was staring at Soujirou, along with the rest of their 'group.'

"Indeed, I should … but _real_ men speak and act _directly_," said Saito, smirking. "Without playing mind games and hoping the other realizes what he's talking about." Yahiko saw Soujirou smile grimly.

"You're right, Saito san," he said. "This is why you should have directly said that you didn't want Misao on the team instead of causing her to get injured. And why you should have _directly_ punished all of us for getting late instead of making us jump hurdles placed _too_ close to each other." Yahiko's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he listened to Soujirou. Happy though he was that he was outwitting Saito at his own game, he felt a wave of dread rise up in him. He had a bad feeling about this …

"Are you talking back to me, Seta?"

"I am merely replying to your _statements_, Saito _san_."

"I _can_ go _right now_ and complain to your parents … and cause you to get a weeks suspension – with _their_ permission …" said Saito, smiling sadistically. "But then again … I don't make it a habit to associate with corpses in the cemetery."

Aoshi saw Soujirou narrow his eyes, and guessed immediately that the boy's parents must be dead. He narrowed his own eyes, feeling that he should understand what the boy was probably feeling. He knew what it felt like to not have a family.

"How _dare_ you." Yahiko trembled as he spoke, the stopwatch on the ground.

"_Excuse me_?"

"How **dare**you bring that up!" half yelled Yahiko, glaring at Saito. Aoshi was surprised that fire wasn't sprouting from the boy's ears and nose.

"Being your _senior_ and _captain_ I think I can talk about _anything_ when I want to," said Saito, coolly.

Sano breathed heavily as he finished the race. Once again, Kenshin had beaten him by a minute and a half.

"Not bad Kenshin …" he said, grinning at the red haired boy.

"Oro … you weren't bad yourself Sano," said Kenshin, smiling. Sano shook his head.

"Honestly, don't hang around with Soujirou too much. You're influencing him like hell," he said.

"Oro?"

"He's just as modest as you are."

"Oh …"

"What's going on over there?" asked Miyoko, suddenly. Sano and Kenshin both looked towards the direction she was pointing at. Kenshin's mind sprang into its alert mode.

"Masaka …" he said, before sprinting towards the other group of people.

"Oy! Kenshin – matte!" called Sano, running after him. He hoped Saito hadn't caused _another_ accident to take place. A minute later, Sano, who had been right behind Kenshin, staggered as the vice captain stopped running suddenly. "Oof – Kenshin what are you – " He stopped as he saw what was going on – or rather, figured out what was going on.

He saw Saito speaking to Soujirou, and saw Soujirou speaking back to him, his eyes glittering. Sano gulped. That didn't look good … He realized who the other person was – who he had thought would be Seijiro sensei. It was Shinomori Aoshi.

"What's Aoshi san doing here?" asked Kenshin, as he had Sano took a few more steps forward.

"Good question. I hope – " Sano was cut off _again_, when he heard Saito's reply to whatever it was that Soujirou had said.

"I _can_ go _right now_ and complain to your parents … and cause you to get a week's suspension – with _their_ permission …" said Saito, smiling sadistically. "But then again … I don't make it a habit to associate with corpses in the cemetery."

There was a short silence, until Yahiko broke it. "How _dare_ you." Sano's eyes were slits in his face as well. He agreed with Yahiko. How _dare_ he say that?

Kenshin took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He was beginning to regret telling everyone else to come for the practice … He opened his mouth to say something to Saito, but a louder voice beat him to it.

"Who the _hell_ do you think you _are_ to bring up people's personal matters?" yelled Sano. Saito turned around.

"Watch it, chicken brain, I've just about had enough of you," he said, warningly. Aoshi, seeing the 'reinforcements' was beginning to wish he had told Kaoru to get lost, and gone home. Not because he was afraid that a fight would break loose – he just wanted a _peaceful, quiet_ life. Was that asking too much?

"You've had 'just about enough' of me??" asked Sano. "What a coincidence. We've had just about enough of you too." Saito glowered at him. The rest of the team was deadly quiet. Glancing at Soujirou, Aoshi saw him glaring at Saito … in a rather unsettling way.

"I don't really need you on the team, Sagara," said Saito, using his _real_ name for a change. "So how about I give you a _week off_?" Sano stared at him.

" … A … week _off_?"

"I believe that is what I just said. Perhaps the aid of hearing aids will help you survive in the world …" said Saito. Kenshin spoke up now.

"That's enough Saito," he said, quietly. Aoshi, turning to _Kenshin_ this time, wondered if his head would come loose one day, as a result of turning it towards each and every person. Saito too turned his gaze on Kenshin. "That's enough for one day, isn't it?" asked Kenshin, his violet eyes calm as he spoke.

"Enough for one day?" asked Saito. "I wish I had come here earlier. I don't know _what_ this school was thinking when it thought that this level of discipline was _acceptable_." Kenshin stopped Sano as he moved forward to say something.

"What it was thinking is neither your concern, nor mine," he said. "I think that this is enough excitement for today. Since it is obvious that we won't be able to continue practicing like this, I think we should call this practice off, and everyone should go home and calm down."

"Really?" asked Saito. "You _think_ so? Sorry, Himura, but I don't think so. We will continue with this practice – and I don't remember asking _anyone_ to leave their tasks and come here." Sano was wondering whether _he_ should stop Kenshin from saying something, as he saw his friend tremble slightly. He was sure it wasn't out of sadness …

"Continue this practice?" asked Yahiko, causing Saito to turn around and look at him. "I don't think so. I'm going home." Saito stared at him for a second, before smiling.

"Good … just what I was hoping you'd do, brat," he said. "You can stay at home for all I care – you're not coming here for another practice."

"And who are_ you_ to say that?" asked Yahiko. "It's up to Seijiro sensei, not you." That was when Saito's smile widened, making Aoshi wary.

"Ah, yes …" he said. "Demo … what if I were to tell you that Hiko Seijiro sensei has gone away for some _personal_ matter, and won't be coming here for sometime?"

"What?" asked Kenshin. "What personal matters?"

"Since they're _personal_, Himura, I didn't bother asking," said Saito.

"Oh, so you don't bother _asking_ about personal matters but you _bother_ about _stating_ other people's personal problems," said Soujirou.

"Of course," said Saito. "In fact, I should give _you_ a few weeks off as well, Seta … for your behaviour …" Soujirou smiled dangerously at him.

"But you won't, because I'm one of your fastest runners – especially for my age group," he said.

"True," said Saito. "But the rest of the team is in my hands."

"No it's not," said Kenshin. "Whatever decision you make has to be approved by your _vice captain_ too."

"Did Hiko sensei talk to _you_ before he went? No, he didn't. You don't know what he asked me to do about this team, so shut it Himura." Kenshin's eyes flashed dangerously. Aoshi was pretty sure that he was going to strangle Saito.

"YOU – " yelled Sano, charging towards him with his fist clenched. Aoshi closed his eyes. It was a lost purpose that Sagara was trying to achieve. Saito _was_ _very good_ with his skills. Saito simply dodged Sano's fist and lashed his hand out, hitting Sano in the middle of the back and sending him face down onto the grass, with his back throbbing. There were gasps from the girls and eyes widening amongst the boys.

What surprised Aoshi was the expression on Saito's face. His eyes widened as he saw Soujirou standing in front of Saito, gripping his elbow. Understanding dawned on Aoshi. It was because Soujirou stopped him, that Sano's back had been hit somewhat _lightly._ He hadn't even seen Soujirou _move_ to counterattack. He certainly _was_ fast.

"**Don't** try that again," said Saito, coldly, roughly pushing Soujirou back. Sano stood up, his face flushed. It appeared that he didn't get the point. He charged at him again, his fist clenched. Saito stood where he was, his eyes narrowing. He avoided the fist at the last second, and lifted his elbow, his eyes having a deadly gleam in them,

"SANO!!!" yelled Kenshin, realizing too late that he was aiming at Sano's neck – one of the area's which, if hit hard enough, could kill a person. Yahiko took a step forward, when a figure flashed past him.

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

****

Misao looked up from the book she had been reading – not because she wanted to, but because she had nothing else to do – positive that she had heard voices nearby. She shook her head. It was probably her mother. She turned back to her book when;

"Misao chan!" She winced at the high pitched squeak and looked up to see Kaoru and Megumi standing at the entrance to her room. A huge smile formed on her face.

"Kaoru! Megumi!" she exclaimed, grinning. The two girls sat down on either side of her, careful not to move her leg.

"I'm _so_ sorry Misao chan – I should have stayed for the practice," said Kaoru. Misao shook her head. She had _thought_ that Kaoru would say this.

"Oh, it would've happened whether you were there or not, Kaoru chan," she said. "Saito _would_ have been Saito, and I would have been as clumsy as I always am."

"I heard about his 'punishment,' said Megumi. "He _really_ is a wolf's backside." Misao sweat dropped.

"Ano … I don't _think_ that a wolf's backside has a _personality_, Megumi san …" she said. Megumi grinned, somewhat uncharacteristically.

"True …" she said. Misao looked from Kaoru to Megumi suddenly.

"What?" asked Kaoru. Misao shook her head lightly.

"Oh … nothing … I was just wondering how you two made it here without killing yourselves over Kenshin," she said. She was whacked lightly on either side of the head by the two girls. "Youch! Watch it … I'm _injured_," she said, smiling.

"Good thing too, or we'd have injured you _more_, ne, Megumi san?" asked Kaoru. Megumi nodded.

"Of course …" she said. Misao sighed.

"Everyone else is probably at practice …" she said.

"_If _they went at all," said Megumi. Misao looked up sharply.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Er … they were saying that – that they didn't want to go for practice …" said Megumi, flustered by the glare Kaoru was giving her. Misao's eyes widened.

"What? WHY? They HAVE to go! He'll – " she stopped. " … They're not going because of _me_ … aren't they?" Kaoru and Megumi exchanged glances.

"What makes you say that?" asked Megumi, smiling fakely.

"Yeah – don't flatter yourself too much," said Kaoru. "Soujirou and Yahiko went. I didn't see Sano or Kenshin though …"

"They must've gone then," said Megumi. "I don't think Kenshin would stay from going … and I'm sure he must have convinced Sano to go …"

"Yeah … that's right …" agreed Kaoru. "And Aoshi san's there anyway …" That caught Megumi's _and_ Misao's attention.

"Aoshi?" asked Megumi. "Ahhh … I'm _definitely_ watching the _next_ practice …" Kaoru rolled her eyes turning to Misao, who she saw, was turning red.

"Misao chan?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"Are you feeling okay?" Misao nodded hurriedly, mentally cursing herself.

"Hai! I'm _fine_! Brilliant!" she said. Kaoru raised an eyebrow at her.

"I … I see …" she said. Megumi smiled.

"Perhaps you should get some more rest," she said, taking Misao's flushed face as a symptom of fatigue, instead of embarrassment. Well, it was a mixture of both … she was feeling rather tired as a result of the painkillers.

"Oh no I really don't need – "

"Megumi san's right …" agreed Kaoru, standing up. "We'll see you tomorrow Misao chan! I'll come by in the evening if I can."

"Demo – "

"You'll no doubt get a visit from the guys today," said Megumi. "So you _won't_ feel lonely or anything." Misao flushed. Would _he_ come? She shook her head as Kaoru and Megumi walked towards the door.

"Well … thanks for coming," she called. They nodded, smiling. She sighed once they were gone. She had been at home for just _one_ day and she was _already_ bored to death.

Although the prospect of the 'guys' visiting her … made her wonder if … She yawned. Drat those painkillers.

**Mitsurugi ****High School****; ****2:07 pm****:**

****

Saito's eyes narrowed as his elbow met an opened palm instead of the tender muscles of a person's neck. His eyes almost _disappeared_ from his face when he saw whose palm it was. Standing halfway in between him and Sano was Aoshi. Saito noted, unconsciously, how _indifferent_ he still managed to look, even when he had just _probably_ saved someone's neck. Literally.

" … … …" Saito lowered his elbow, glowering at Aoshi. Sano was staring at Aoshi like he had just grown ten heads or something, similar to everyone else.

"What do you think you're doing Aoshi?" asked Saito. Kenshin wondered why he called _Aoshi_ by his first name and _everyone else_ by their surname or by a nickname.

"Saving _your_ skin," replied Aoshi. "I don't think it would go well with _anyone_ if you _killed_ him." Saito continued to glare at Aoshi, his dark eyes looking dangerous.

" … I don't believe that …" he said, although he knew that he was right.

" … Your choice," said Aoshi, shrugging and turning to Sano with his hand extended to help him up from where he had fallen _again_. Kenshin chose the opportunity to send off the rest of the team, who went away hurriedly. Kenshin then hurriedly pulled Soujirou and Yahiko away, hoping Aoshi would do the same to Sano.

With a last glance at Saito, Aoshi pushed Sano in the direction Kenshin was going, walking after him. Saito stood where he was, the expression on his face enough to send people into catastrophic shock. He guessed Aoshi had been correct … he _would_ have gotten punished if he harmed Sagara … but he wondered if that was the _real_ reason as to why Aoshi had done that.

Aoshi watched Sano walk ahead of him, his face expressionless as usual. Saito would get him back for that … he was sure about that. He sighed inwardly. That was the problem in getting involved in _other_ people's problems.

Perhaps he _would_ take up Kaoru's offer of getting the girls to stop following him …

A/N

Wellllll????? I hope that was good. The 'guys' visiting Misao will be in the next chapter as, as you have probably noticed, this got a _bit_ too _long_.

Hope the length was worth it!

See you soon!

Siriusgirl1


	9. First Outburst

**A/N**

Well … chapter eight _is_ here! Will there be some Aoshi/Misao moments in this?????? Heh … you will see … Hope you enjoy this! And I am _very_ sorry if this one is long too … it's just that I didn't want to continue anything in this on to a new chapter.

**Kitsune Kenshin: **HALLOOOOO!!!! Er, excuse that. I'm glad you liked the chapters! I was wondering if I had somehow gone out of touch with this story … oh well. Yes, I quite liked that part about Kaoru being happy too. I included that, hoping that … _when_ they find out about each other (the _real_ reason as to why he's staying with the Kamiya's etc.) it … won't be _that_ difficult for them to get along, if you know what I mean. Well, thanks a lot for your reviews and hope you like this chapter!

**Leila Jenkens: **Heh! Thanks for the review! And _boy_ am I glad I'm not being hunted down. Just kidding! Hope you like this!__

**Oniwabanshu****: **Thank you!! Hmm … yes, there _is_ going to be a tournament, and as to whether Misao will take part in it … we shall see … (technically, she shouldn't though … but u never know …) Thanks again and I hope you like this chapter!

**Why?What?Shutup****: **True, I agree with you … but it won't do to kick the 'bad guy' out of the story at this point in time, will it? If I do, it'll make it _easy_ for Aoshi and Misao to get together. I have to say though, writing these Saito parts are somewhat annoying, since I need to make him sound 'nasty' but not _too_ 'nasty' until the time comes … I hope I made some sense there. Anyways, thanks for your review and I hope you like this!

* * *

**Chapter Eight: First Outburst **

The sun beamed merrily down at the road, oblivious to the events that had taken place fifteen minutes ago. Not being an _intelligent_ life form, when compared to humans, it was not capable of understanding events that took place on the planets it shone down on. But it _was_ able to come to the conclusion that this little blue and green planet … was rather _different_ and _lively_ than the rest.

Kenshin glanced up at the sky, wincing slightly as his eyes focused on the bright orb of the sun and as pain flashed through his eyes. He looked down at once, for a while unable to make out his surroundings. He sweat dropped. Honestly, what _did_ he expect to happen when he glanced at the sun and temporarily blinded himself?

Sighing, he turned to look at the people walking with him. Yahiko and Sano, it was quite simple to describe; as they had the words '**Will **_kill Saito' _on their faces – well, practically. Soujirou was looking ahead of him, the usual smile that could be found on his face having disappeared. Kenshin felt a wave of anger bubble up inside of him. Soujirou had every right to look like that. Saito had _no right_ to bring up the fact that the boy was an orphan …

Walking next to him, his face as 'normal' as ever, was Aoshi. Kenshin sighed as he saw his expressionless face, but smiled almost at once, knowing that it was thanks to Aoshi that _Sano_ hadn't been injured as well. Come to think of it … Aoshi had been there to help Misao out too … He _sure_ had a habit of turning up when things were going to get out of hand.

He frowned. Was that simply a _coincidence_ … or was there a _reason_? He shook his head. No, Aoshi wasn't the type of person that would do something like that to other people.

"Che …" Kenshin turned to Yahiko, hearing him exclaim. "I would _really_ like to …" He trailed off, sighing.

"Yes, Yahiko, we know," muttered Sano, glancing quickly at Soujirou. "We all feel the same." Sano turned to Aoshi. "Shinomori." Aoshi turned towards him, his face expressionless as always.

" … … …"

"Thanks. I owe you one," said Sano, gruffly. Kenshin smiled. Sano was not used to thanking people he knew almost nothing about. Then again, perhaps this was a good sign. Perhaps they could all welcome Aoshi into their little 'group' of friends, if Aoshi wasn't scared off by their antics already.

" … We _are_ going to see Misao, aren't we?" asked Soujirou, suddenly. Kenshin nodded.

"Yes – if we all can," he said, looking around at Yahiko, Sano and Aoshi.

"Of course we're going to see her," said Yahiko.

"He's right," said Sano. Aoshi said nothing as he stared at Kenshin.

"Aoshi?"

" … I …" Aoshi stopped abruptly. How was he supposed to say that he didn't know her at all and thus there was no reason for him to go and see her, _without_ sounding _rude_? " … I … should get home …" he said, instead. Kenshin frowned slightly.

"Demo – I'm sure Misao chan will want to thank you," he said. Aoshi shrugged. He knew Kenshin was trying to get him to make friends with the rest of the group … but he wasn't sure whether he wanted to. As it was, trying to help Kaoru out, he had probably made himself an enemy in the form of his cousin … he didn't want anymore of _that_ to happen.

They walked down the road in silence, turning left to the road where Misao and Kaoru lived. Their destination was the 4th house on the left of the lane – the one that was Misao's. As they past Kaoru's house, Aoshi stopped walking, causing the others to stop as well, wondering if something was wrong.

"Is something wrong Aoshi?" asked Kenshin. Aoshi shook his head.

"I … I should go home," he said. Sano frowned.

"But you came _this_ far with us," he said, quite forgetting that Aoshi didn't live as _far_ away as he _thought_ he did. "Why not come and see Misao and then go back home?" Aoshi sighed impatiently. Didn't they understand _subtle_ refusals at _all_?

"I don't need to go far to go home," he said, noticing how empty the word 'home' sounded to him. It wasn't his _real_ home anyway. "This is my stop." He nodded to the Kamiya residence. There was a moment of silence before anyone said anything again.

"Ah yes, you said that you were staying with Kaoru, weren't you?" asked Yahiko. Aoshi nodded.

"I see …" said Kenshin, smiling, though it felt a little _stretched_. "That's all the more reason why you should come and see Misao chan. You live so close by, and if we introduce you to Makimachi san, she'll let you see her anytime you want to." Aoshi raised an eyebrow at him.

And _why_ would he want to see Makimachi Misao anytime he _wanted_ to? He didn't even _know_ the girl, except for her name and her appearance.

" … I don't think – " he started, when Kenshin latched his arm through his, smiling, and continued walking the few steps to the gate of the Kashiwazaki residence. He opened his mouth to protest, when he caught sight of the expression on Kenshin's face. The expression that said 'say what you like but you are coming with us, and I won't hear you if you decide to protest.'

Or something like that.

Once again wondering _why_ his life had changed into this … _mess_, he walked through the gate to the house, wondering why it was the 'Kashiwazaki Residence' as opposed to the 'Makimachi Residence.' They walked up to the front door and stood in front of it. Sano rang the doorbell and stepped away from the door, waiting for it to be answered.

Just as they heard the lock being turned from the other side of the door, Kenshin remembered that they hadn't agreed to not say anything about the practice to Misao. He didn't get the chance to talk to them about it as the front door was opened, revealing a black haired, slim lady. She smiled as her blue eyes landed on Sano.

"Ah … come on in," she said, stepping aside to let them enter. They entered in single file, exchanging greetings with her. She stared at Aoshi as he walked inside, looking somewhat uncomfortable. He nodded politely at her, mumbling his greetings.

"Ah, this is Shinomori Aoshi, Makimachi san," said Kenshin, seeing Mrs. Makimachi's questioning glance. "He's the one that helped Misao when she fell." Aoshi glared at Kenshin. _Why_ did he have to go and say _that_?

"Aoshi san, I do not know _how_ to thank you," said Mrs. Makimachi, beaming at him. He shook his head.

" … Iie …" he mumbled. Misao's mother smiled at him as she took in his appearance, looking surprised only once, to see something of _Kaoru_ in his face. It wasn't the eyes … it was … something else. Realizing that she was probably making him uncomfortable, she averted her gaze.

"Misao's upstairs," she said. "You know her room, don't you, Soujirou?" Soujirou nodded, managing a weak smile at her. They began to walk towards the staircase when she stopped them. "Didn't you have athletics practice today?" she asked. They stopped walking, smiling nervously.

"Er … no …" said Yahiko, hurriedly. "The – er … Hiko sensei couldn't come …"

"Yeah … and – and Kenshin decided to call the practice off …" added Sano.

"Oro?" A kick from Sano _and_ Yahiko shut him up. Aoshi shook his head. Why _him_? Mrs. Makimachi raised her eyebrows at their behaviour, shaking her head. Boys will be boys, she thought, fondly.

"I won't keep you then," she said, closing the front door and walking into the kitchen. The four boys walked up the stairs, following Soujirou down the corridor towards the room on the left.

The door to the room was opened – that they all saw before the reached it. Soujirou, in the lead, stopped walking, causing a few people to bump into each other.

"What?" asked Sano, annoyed as pain shot through his back.

"What if she's … you know …" said Soujirou, stammering.

"What if she's _what_?" asked Yahiko, impatiently.

"What if she's … changing?"

"Soujirou, do you _really_ think that _she'll_ change with her door WIDE OPEN?" asked Sano. Soujirou flushed.

"No, but I don't think she's in a position to _get up_ and _walk_ and _close_ her door, do you?" he asked. Aoshi stared at the wooden floor, wondering if they were going to spend the whole afternoon arguing – in the _corridor –_ or whether they were going to _actually_ go inside.

Not that he _wanted_ to go inside, he thought hurriedly.

"Soujirou, if you're not going to MOVE I will MOVE you," threatened Yahiko, impatient with his friend. Sighing, Soujirou walked up to the door and peeked inside. What he saw made him smile and walk straight into the room. Aoshi wondered whether they always walked into other peoples rooms uninvited. He nonetheless followed Kenshin inside.

The room, he noticed immediately, was a _mess_. The floor was littered with a few sheets of paper, a slipper, a pair of socks, a ruler and eraser and some other items he did not identify. To the left was a wooden table, looking equally cluttered, and with a pile of books teetering dangerously, placed on it. There were posters of 'people' he recognized as being _characters_ of certain cartoons pasted on the light blue walls. He shook his head. Did this girl live in the real world, or in a world full of _made-up_ _cartoon characters_?

Her wardrobe had photographs of people pasted on its doors. He was sure that the people were her friends and family – a _non cartoon_ thing, for a change. Turning his attention to the bed, his eyes softened.

Lying down on the bed, with the covers thrown off and an _almost_ angelic look on her face, was Makimachi Misao. She was sleeping, dressed in a pair of black shorts and a light blue t-shirt. Soujirou walked up to her bed and knelt down on her side. Her right leg had a cast on the knee, and there was a tightly wrapped bandage on her right ankle, where she had sprained it. The whole leg was supported by pillows, to make her more comfortable.

"We shouldn't wake her up … should we?" asked Sano, smiling. Kenshin shook his head.

"I don't think we should," he said.

"But we won't be able to talk to her then," protested Yahiko.

"Generally, Yahiko _chan_, when a person is _sleeping_, you don't have hour long conversations with them," said Sano, grinning. Yahiko glared at him.

"I _know_ that, rooster head," he said. Aoshi made a mental note to go back home and write down all the 'names' he had come across at school so far. Honestly, you'd think they were a bunch of _animals_ or something. Misao opened her eyes hurriedly, hearing the voices. Aoshi watched as she focused her eyes on the boys by her bed and as a beam found itself on her face.

"Minna!" she said. That caught everyone's attention.

"Misao!"

"How _are_ you?"

"You're not in _pain_ are you?"

"We're sorry we woke you up, Misao …" She smiled.

"Yes, great, not really, that's okay," she said, answering the questions. Kenshin smiled

"Heh … and I thought _my_ room was bad," said Sano, grinning as he looked around her room. Soujirou smiled. Misao's room had been like this since … since he had got to know her – and that was around seven years ago, when she had found him talking to himself before the assembly his class was giving. She had asked him if his parents were coming to see the assembly – he had got himself a main role – and he had said that they were unable to come, even if they wanted to. Even at that age, Misao had been overly cheerful, and had managed to help him break the wall of detachment that he had unconsciously built around him, after … his parents …

His smile disappeared as he remembered Saito's words.

_ "I can go right now and complain to your parents … and cause you to get a week's suspension – with their permission … But then again … I don't make it a habit to associate with corpses in the cemetery." _

Misao, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to Soujirou's behaviour. Her eyes had just landed on the tall figure standing beside Kenshin, looking at her. Her mind screamed out a warning; '**Warning**: blush forming across cheeks' as the events of the previous day came back to her mind. She smiled weakly at him, hoping that her blush wasn't visible.

Aoshi, observing the girl sitting up on the bed saw her gaze turn on him, her blue eyes meeting his ice blue ones. He saw her bow her head slightly – though not before he caught sight of the tinge of red spreading across her cheeks.

He frowned. What was that for? __

Kenshin, noticing him staring, turned to Misao and smiled as he turned back to him.

"Aoshi – come over here," he said. "Misao doesn't bite – I assure you." Misao glared at him as Sano and Yahiko started laughing. Aoshi moved slowly towards Kenshin – closer to her bed.

All of a sudden, Misao was suddenly aware that the bed sheet wasn't over her legs – she had kicked it off before she had fallen asleep. She closed her eyes, moving her hand towards the hem of her black shorts. She suddenly felt … somewhat … self-conscious.

" – isao?" She looked up, hearing Sano calling her.

"Hai?" she asked.

"I was asking if you were going to thank Shinomori," said Sano. Misao stared blankly at him. "For helping you yesterday …"

"Oh … er … yes …" she stammered, uneasily. She turned toward Aoshi, her mind screaming out warnings at her. "Er … thanks … I – er … yeah … I mean … thanks for helping – " she stopped, realizing that Soujirou, Sano, Yahiko _and_ Kenshin were staring at her. "W – what?"

"Wouldn't it have been easier to say 'thanks for helping me yesterday' instead of saying _all_ of that?" asked Yahiko. Misao flushed.

"Er … yes …" she said, scowling as Yahiko chuckled. "Oh _shut up_." She sighed. "Besides, I'm sure that – Aoshi san got what I was _trying_ to say." Aoshi nodded.

" … It was nothing …" he said, quietly. Misao desperately looked around her room in hopes of finding _something_ to talk about – to prevent her from staring at the good-looking boy standing by her be –

_Whoa! HOLD IT!!! **What** was **that**? GOOD-LOOKING boy? _

Misao shook her head inwardly, fighting the urge to scream out loud that she was going mad. What was she thinking? And what was with that feeling she had in her stomach … a feeling that made her feel squeamish?

Aoshi stood amidst the silence in the room, wondering why they weren't talking – not that he minded. His eyes fell on Misao again – this time making him wonder _why_. He saw her look around before she stared at her lap. Strands of hair fell into her blue eyes, causing her to blink, trying to get them out of her eyes. Her mouth, he saw, was curved downward, in a small, but rather winning pout.

He pressed the 'STOP' button on his mind. Since _when_ did _pouts_ look _winning_?

He saw Misao move her hand to the cast on her knee, and his eyes moved with her hand. The cast was pristine white against her skin. He couldn't help but notice that the black short she was wearing came to an _end_ halfway down her thighs.

Needless to say, he was _extremely glad_ when Kenshin broke the silence.

"Misao, are those pictures from last year?" he asked. Misao looked up, startled.

"Huh? Oh … those, yeah," she said, nodding at her wardrobe.

"Do you mind if I go and see them?" asked Kenshin. Misao rolled her eyes.

"You _don't_ need to ask, baka!" she said. Grinning sheepishly, he walked over to them.

"Hmm … I wouldn't _mind_ being in your position, weasel girl," said Sano, suddenly. Misao glared at him, before looking surprised.

"What, and be stuck in bed and even needing someone to help you to the _bathroom_?" she asked.

"Well, yes, _that_ is a negative point," agreed Sano. "But look at it this way; you get to miss school, get people to practically _wait_ on you, and all in all, get to lead a good life for a couple of days."

"Yeah, and you can ask for whatever you want – and people would give it to you, feeling sympathetic and hoping you'd recover soon," added Yahiko. Misao grinned as an idea popped into her head.

"Okay then … Sano, admit your feelings for Megumi, and Kenshin should admit _his_ feelings for Kaoru," she said, looking immediately at Kenshin to see _his_ reaction. She was only met with Kenshin's back – he was looking at the pictures. She sighed. So much for hoping to get something out of him. Aoshi raised his eyebrows. Himura Kenshin … liked Kaoru?

"WATCH who you're talking about, Misao," growled Sano, turning red. "I don't like foxes." Aoshi had given up on the 'animal' thing by now.

"Hai, hai," said Misao, grinning. Yahiko laughed at the surprised look on Aoshi's face.

"Don't worry Aoshi," he said. "Sano really _does_ like Megumi … and Kenshin – " Here Yahiko sighed. " – Kenshin doesn't like Kaoru, much to _her_ dismay …" Misao saw Aoshi's eyebrows go back down, and smiled. She hadn't meant to give him the wrong idea. "Do you, Kenshin?" Kenshin tore his gaze away from a picture of Misao and Kaoru smiling, their arms around each other.

"Oro???"

"I give up …" said Yahiko, sighing. Misao, glancing at her clock, saw that it was now 3:30 p.m. Her eyebrows shot up on her head.

"Hey!" she said, suddenly.

"Nani, Misao?" asked Soujirou, as everyone turned to look at her.

"Did you move your leg?"

"Shall I call your mother?"

"Do you need anything?" Misao shook her head for all the questions. Honestly, did they think she was _that_ weak?

"Why – why aren't you guys at athletics practice?" she asked. There was a short silence as the four boys exchanged glances (Aoshi excluded). Misao didn't miss the pointed looks they gave each other, nor did she miss Aoshi shaking his head. She frowned. "Did something happen?"

"What makes you say that, Misao?" asked Yahiko, smiling brightly.

"Yeah! Everything's fine – better than before," said Sano, nodding vigourously and wincing as pain shot through his back, reminding him that everything _wasn't_ fine. Misao didn't believe them for a second. She turned to Soujirou, who was suddenly _fascinated_ by the wooden floor boards.

"Soujirou? What happened?" she asked, looking at him.

"Happened? Nothing much …" he said, not looking at her. Misao frowned again.

"Sou, please, tell me what happened," she said, pleadingly. Soujirou smiled.

"Er – there wasn't a practice today …" he said.

"What? That – that _guy_ actually cancelled practice?" asked Misao, _very _surprised.

"Yes, he did," said Soujirou, smiling, although he looked at the wall as he spoke, not being able to meet Misao's eyes and _lie_ to her.

"He _did_?" asked Yahiko, looking at him. The glare Soujirou sent him made him quiver, just as the kick Sano gave him made him muffle a loud curse. Misao smiled slightly. When they were together as a group, they couldn't lie to save their lives – someone _always_ gave them away.

"Come on guys, what _really _happened?" she asked.

"Er … practice was cancelled … because Hiko sensei wasn't there …" said Kenshin, smiling. Misao frowned yet again. Something wasn't right. She couldn't place her finger on it but – aha!

"That can't be," she said. "Kaoru and Megumi were here before and they said that they hoped you guys were going for practice …" She glared at them. "You're hiding something from me! WHAT is IT???" No one answered her, choosing to look at random items in the room, rendering her unable to meet their eyes.

Aoshi, being quite new to them, didn't avert his eyes soon enough. Misao caught his eyes, and, strange though she felt, she didn't turn away.

"Aoshi san … _please_ tell me what happened during practice today …" she said. Aoshi said nothing.

" … … …" What was he _supposed _to say anyway?

"Aoshi san … please???" begged Misao, turning her puppy dog eyes on him. He scowled. _What_ was it with people making him do and say things he usually wouldn't today?

" … It _was_ cancelled …" he said. "Himura san cancelled it." Misao turned toward Kenshin, flashing a bright smile in Aoshi's direction.

"Kenshin?" she asked, sweetly. Kenshin gulped.

"Ano … er – yes – I … I _did_ cancel it …" he said, sweating. "And … er … that's it. Nothing else happened. Sano's fine and Soujirou's not upset about what he said so –" Kenshin could have killed himself. As it was, he was sure that Sano, Yahiko and Soujirou were going to do him the favour the moment they stepped out of the house.

"Aha! So something happened to Sano and Soujirou!" said Misao, triumphantly turning to Soujirou and Sano. "What happened Sou?" Soujirou said nothing. Not that he didn't want to tell her – he just didn't _feel_ like repeating it …

One look at his face told Misao that it was something bad. She turned to Sano. He sighed.

"You know what he always does," he said. "Makes life a living hell for us." Misao frowned.

"Sano – " It was at that moment that Mrs. Makimachi walked in. She smiled at everyone.

"Ano … forgive me if I'm interrupting anything … but it's time for me to change the bandage on her ankle … and make her take these tablets …" she said. Kenshin nodded hurriedly.

"Hai. We'll go now," he said.

"No! Wait!" called Misao. "Please?" Kenshin smiled at her. She must _really_ be feeling lonely … and bored. Then again, being stuck in bed _all _the time _could_ do that to people.

"We'll come back tomorrow, Misao," he said.

"Yeah," said Sano. "Don't worry; you'll see my handsome face tomorrow." Misao glared at him as her mother laughed.

"Demo – "

"I'll try and come by later, Misao," said Soujirou, squeezing her hand. "Daijobu … I'm sure that Kaoru will be here soon too …" Misao nodded slowly.

"Fine," she grumbled.

"See ya, Misao," said Yahiko, waving at her. Misao nodded at him.

"Get better soon!" said Sano.

"Hai …"

"Don't worry about us, okay?" asked Kenshin. Misao nodded again, somewhat grumpily.

" … Rest well …" said Aoshi, seeing everyone turning expectantly towards him. Misao nodded, flushing.

"I will …" she said. They walked out of her room and down the stairs. Misao let out a deep breath once they left, though she still stared at the spot a _certain_ person had been standing in. Her mother looked quizzically at her.

"Misao? Are you okay?" she asked. Misao nodded, smiling.

"Hai," she said, wincing at that moment as her mother started taking off the tight bandage on her ankle.

" … Shinomori Aoshi … is he related to Kaoru?" Misao looked at her mother, startled.

"Er n – no … why do you ask?" she asked. Her mother shook her head.

"Oh, it's nothing … they just … look somewhat alike …" she said. Misao shook her head fervently. He did _not_ look like her! He was more interesting and attracti – She buried her face in her hands. "Misao?" asked her mother, worried at her daughter's sudden behaviour.

"It's nothing Kachan," she said, her voice muffled by her hands. Her mother continued to un-wrap the bandage, wondering what on earth was wrong with her daughter.

**

* * *

**

Aoshi stopped by the fence that separated the two properties. It was time for him to go.

"We'll see you in school tomorrow, Aoshi," said Kenshin, smiling at him. Aoshi nodded.

"Hnn."

"And thanks again," said Sano.

"Hnnn." Nodding at them, he jumped over the fence, and walked to the front door, ringing the doorbell. The others stood where they were, watching as the door was opened by Mrs. Kamiya.

"Aoshi! Why are you ringing the bell? You _live_ here. You don't need to do that," they heard Mrs. Kamiya say, before Aoshi walked in and the door was closed behind them.

Kenshin stared at the door, questions forming in his head. Kaoru _had_ said something about Aoshi being the son of Mrs. Kamiya's best friend … and he _knew_ that Aoshi was decent … but …

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard snickering from next to him. He turned around. "Oro??"

"Oh, listen to _him_," teased Yahiko. "Oro?" Kenshin was utterly confused as to why Yahiko said 'oro.'

"Eeto …" he started, when Sano leaned on Soujirou for support – snickering. "What?"

"Awww … ain't that _cute_? Kenshin's _jealous_," said Sano. Kenshin's eyes widened.

"J – Jealous? Of who? Why?" he asked. Soujirou smothered a chuckle.

"They're trying to say that you're jealous of Aoshi san," he said.

"ORO??? Why?"

"Because he lives in the same house as Kaoru, _baka_!" guffawed Yahiko. Kenshin turned super deformed.

"Now now … let's not start spreading false rumours – " he started.

"Imagine … he could even be staying in the room _next_ to hers …" said Sano, a teasing glint in his eyes.

" – Aoshi's not like – "

"Next to hers? Imagine … them _sharing_ a room …" said Yahiko, catching on to what Sano was trying to do. Soujirou smiled as he saw Kenshin turn red.

" – that, he's a nice person so we shouldn't – "

"Forget _that_," said Sano, trying not to burst out laughing. "Picture this: same b – "

" – THAT'S enough, thank you," said Kenshin, interrupting him before he could finish his sentence. His face was red as he looked at his friends. "Why don't we just _go home_?" Soujirou nodded. He _was_ feeling rather tired.

"Hai," he said, following Kenshin as he walked away hurriedly. Snickering, Sano and Yahiko followed them. They _had_ got a response from Kenshin about Kaoru … the only problem was … they couldn't decipher what it meant.

**A few hours later:**

****

Kaoru looked up from her desk and glanced at her clock. It was 6:33 pm. She closed the book she was reading. Aoshi _must_ have come back from athletics now … She took a deep breath, preparing herself for whatever he would tell her. She just _hoped_ that nothing bad had happened. Opening her door and looking out, she saw Aoshi's door was shut.

_Was_ he back?

She shrugged. She'd knock on the door and see. That was what she did. A minute later, the door was opened. Kaoru smiled.

"Aoshi san, am I – " she stopped in mid-sentence as she took in his appearance. He was dressed in a _very_ _fitting_, black t-shirt – and shorts, of course – but the t-shirt caught her eye. She gulped. " – er … am I disturbing you?" she asked, finally. Aoshi shook his head, sending droplets of water around him, as a result of his wet hair.

" … No …" he said. Kaoru looked relieved. She stared at her feet for a second before looking up at him again.

"Er … can I … can I come inside?" The moment the question exited her mouth, she closed her eyes. That was _not_ what she had intended to ask. She coloured. That _had_ sounded bad. "I – I meant … it's more comfortable sitting down … or something than standing here in the corridor – though I don't mind – "

Aoshi sighed, shaking his head and moving away from the door. Kaoru watched as he sat down on his bed. He glanced at her. " … You wanted to come inside …?" She hastily moved inside the room, standing uncomfortable by the door. Aoshi sighed again, before nodding at the chair next to his table. Kaoru sat down on it hurriedly, noting that his room was rather … _dull_. There were no posters or anything … just the furniture, the clothes, the school bag … and him. Plus there was the fact that the only light in the room was coming from the lamp beside his bed. She guessed he must have been sleeping …

"Er … did you go for athletics practice?" she asked, shaking her head. Aoshi let out a long breath.

" … Yes … I did …" he said.

"Did – did anything happen?" asked Kaoru, biting her lip.

" … We were sent home at 2:15 …" he said. Kaoru's eyes widened.

"What? Why? I didn't know you were back!" she said.

"They took me to see … Makimachi san …" he said, slowly. Kaoru smiled.

"Ah, Kenshin and the others …" she said. Her smile disappeared. "Why were you sent home?" Aoshi sighed. Was this twenty questions or something?

"There was a small problem … and the fact that Seta Soujirou doesn't have parents was brought up …" he said. Kaoru looked horrified.

"**What?**" She stared incredulously at him. "Don't tell me – _he_ did that …"

"If you mean Saito, yes, he did," said Aoshi, wondering if now was a good time to say that he was _related_ to him.

"What did Soujirou say? Ooohh, I'd like to get my hands on him." He decided that it _wasn't_ a good time to say that he was _related_ to him.

"Nothing much …" he said, praying that he would be left alone after this. "He told – Sagara san that he could take a week off, and told Myoujin san that he could take everyday off …"

"In other words, he subtly dismissed them from the team," said Kaoru, understanding. Aoshi nodded. "Did – did he say anything to Kenshin?" Aoshi, looking up, saw the worried expression on her face, and remembered what Yahiko had said earlier. He shook his head.

"No." Kaoru sighed in relief.

**At the same time:**

****

Mr. Kamiya walked up the stairs, having looked everywhere _downstairs_ for his daughter. He hoped she was in her room – he didn't have the energy to look anywhere else for her. He was looking for her to find out how Misao was doing. He was _certain_ that she had gone to see her and wanted to know if she was alright.

As he walked to her room, one glance inside through the opened doorway told him that she wasn't there either. Thinking she was probably in the bathroom, he turned around, when he caught sight of the opened door of the boy's room. He frowned. He didn't like that boy … nor did he like that fact that he was staying in _their_ house, with _his_ daughter. You couldn't trust teenage boys these days.

That plus the fact that there was something unsettling about him and Kaoru looking … somewhat similar … not to mention the _attention_ the kid got from his wife. He was staring to wonder if she … He shook his head. No, Kaeri wouldn't have …

He was about to walk away, when he heard the sound of a male voice. He frowned. Was he talking to himself? Moving forward so that he was standing closer to the door, his eyes narrowed slightly. The room was _completely_ dark except for the _dim_ light coming from the lamp on a bedside table.

The boy was seated on the bed … facing – his face turned purple – facing **_his_** daughter who was seated on a chair … His eyes turned into slits in his face when he saw him bend forward and –

_TRY TO TOUCH HIS DAUGHTER'S LEG?????_

_

* * *

_

Kaoru smiled at Aoshi, whose face she couldn't see very well. She had _completely_ changed her mind about him. He was different from what she had thought he was like.

"Arigato, Aoshi san," she said, again, meaning it. Aoshi ran a hand through his wet hair.

" … Is your offer still available?" he asked, slowly. Kaoru looked a little alarmed at him.

"O – Offer?"

" … To get those girls to stop following me around?" Kaoru flushed. She hadn't thought that he'd _really_ accept it. Hell, she didn't know _how_ she was going to get them to stop following him.

"Eeto – I … er … I didn't – I mean – " Aoshi shook his head, positive that she would be flushing.

"I wasn't being serious," he said. Kaoru smiled, stretching her legs.

"I … _could_ try if you'd – " She stopped, wincing as her foot hit something sharp. "Ouch …" Aoshi looked at her.

" … Sorry?"

"Oh, nothing – something just pricked my foot …" said Kaoru, fumbling to see what it was. She winced as her hand was pricked by something sharp. "What _is_ this?"

" … Must be a pin or something …" said Aoshi, bending down and leaning forward slightly, his arm stretched out to see whatever it was that was pricking her. " … Are you wearing slippers?"

"No I didn't – " Kaoru was cut off when the light in the room was suddenly switched on. She blinked, unused to it, though she saw Aoshi sit up straight and turn to the door. His face paled _slightly_ as he saw who it was.

"I **knew**it! I **knew **it!" exclaimed Mr. Kamiya, trembling in anger. "I **knew **that I couldn't trust you! How DARE you! What did you do to my daughter???" Kaoru's eyes widened.

"O – Otosan – he – he didn't – "

"Don't worry Kaoru, I won't let him get away with whatever he did to you," said her father.

"Demo Otosan – " Mr. Kamiya strode up to Aoshi and glared at him.

"WHAT did you DO to my DAUGHTER? Or rather, what did you TRY to do to my DAUGHTER???"

" … Nothing – "

"You expect ME to BELIEVE YOU?" Aoshi swallowed down the reply he had been about to give. He had to be careful with whatever he said – he didn't think his Aunt and Uncle would welcome him to their house on such short notice.

" … I didn't do anything to Kaoru san, Sir …" he said at last, feeling that 'Sir' sounded better than 'Kamiya san' at this moment. The look Mr. Kamiya was giving him _was_ frightening. It was a look of _pure _hatred. Kaoru stood up hurriedly, sensing the approaching danger, and trying to calm her father down. She stepped hard on the hard thing and winced slightly. Aoshi noticed it and looked hurriedly at the ground when she lifted her foot up. He saw a pin lying on the ground.

So it was _that_ that had pricked he –

"Otosan, please calm down," said Kaoru, as calmly as she could, ignoring her leg. Her father didn't turn away from Aoshi. "Aoshi san didn't – "

"So its _Kaoru san_ now, is it?" asked Mr. Kamiya, glaring at her.

"Otosan – "

"What's going on here? Why are you talking so loud?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, walking up to them. She saw Aoshi and Kaoru and smiled at them. "Dinner will be ready in a few – "

"_Dinner_? **Dinner**? Do you know what he tried to do to Kaoru?" asked her husband, whirling around to face her. Kamiya Kaeri stared at her husband, startled, before looking at Aoshi and Kaoru.

" … W – What did he try to do?" she asked.

"He was – he was trying to TOUCH HER LEG!!!" Mrs. Kamiya's eyes widened as she turned back to Aoshi. Although he was looking as emotionless as always, she could that his ice blue eyes were narrowed – and were glinting. Looking at her daughter was enough to tell her that there was some misunderstanding.

"How … how can you be so sure?" she asked, at last.

"I SAW HIM for god's sake Kaeri!" snapped Mr. Kamiya.

"Kaoru – "

"Okasan, Aoshi san didn't try to do _anything_ of the sort!" said Kaoru. "We were talking when something pricked me on my foot and he was trying to check what it was when Otosan walked in!" As proof, Kaoru picked up the pin and showed it to her parents, wondering if she should lift her leg and show them where she pricked it.

Mrs. Kamiya glanced at Aoshi. She could tell he was getting angry … She shivered slightly as she saw his glinting eyes. She had seen them narrowed like that only once in her life so far … and they had been someone else's eyes.

Shinomori Shinji had looked at _her_ father like that when he had said that _he_ was corrupting his _innocent_ daughter, and that he would rather _die_ than see her getting married to _him_.

"I agree with Kaoru, Hisashi," she said, snapping out of her thoughts and looking at her husband. The glare he sent her way was rather frightening, but she chose to ignore it. "I don't think Aoshi is the type of person to do something like that."

"Then explain to me why KAORU was in HIS room!!!"

"Because **I** asked him if I could come in!" exclaimed Kaoru, exasperated with her father. "It was better than talking about school in the CORRIDOR. If you had seen _that_, you might have said Aoshi san was trying to _seduce_ me to come inside his room!" She took a deep breath, well aware of the look of surprise on her father's face. "Honestly Otosan, if Aoshi san _was_ trying to touch my leg or do anything to me, do you think he would have done that with the door _wide open_? And do you think I would have _let_ him??"

Mrs. Kamiya raised her eyebrows as she listened to her daughter's outburst. Aoshi, as usual, was expressionless, though he looked a little startled too. Mr. Kamiya, on the other hand, was taken aback at Kaoru's yelling. He glared at Aoshi, before turning to his wife.

"We _never_ fought with each other like this. This is **your entire fault**. This family was _better off_ without this – this 'son' of your 'best friend' Kaeri," he said, glaring at Mrs. Kamiya.

" – Let's discuss this somewhere else Hisa – "

"The boy _has_ to go Kaeri." Aoshi, Kaoru and Mrs. Kamiya stared at him.

"W – What?"

"I never liked him being here. He – as you already saw – is a bad influence on Kaoru. I don't want my daughter getting caught up in anything bad. He **has** to go. Who _was_ his father to _you_ anyway? Why are you SO CONCERNED about the BOY'S WELFARE, and not those of mine or Kaoru's?" Kaoru opened her mouth angrily to say something when her mother shook her head.

"Hisashi, let's talk about this somewhere els – "

"So you said that his father died, what about his mother? Why can't he stay with his _mother_?" Mrs. Kamiya paled slightly. Kaoru's eyes widened as she turned to Aoshi. His … father was _dead_? "Or wait, did his _mother_ abandon him? I must admit, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that that's the _real reason_ as to why he's here …"

Mrs. Kamiya felt her head whirling. How ironic … if only her husband knew _who_ had done the abandoning …

"Hisashi – please, can't you – "

"And Kaoru, I **FORBID** you from speaking with _him_," said Mr. Kamiya. "You're my only child, and as a father, I only want what's best for you. I don't want you getting into trouble by hanging around with _him_."

"Otosan – "

"This is my final word. The boy **has** to **go**." With that, Mr. Kamiya whirled around and walked away. Mrs. Kamiya stared after him for a moment before turning to Aoshi and Kaoru.

"I _don't_ believe him …" whispered Kaoru, loud enough for them to hear, before running out of the room, and down the stairs. Her father had _never_ shouted like that … and … and _knowing_ that Aoshi san's father was dead … he still …

"Kaoru – " She stopped. It was no use. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Aoshi. He was still standing where he was, his eyes still the same. "A – Aoshi – "

"Why are you forcing me to stay where I'm not welcome?" asked Aoshi, his voice as cold as ice.

"You're – you _are _wel – "

"This is the second time, Kamiya san," interrupted Aoshi.

"Aoshi, that's just Hisashi's way of – "

" … Why can't I stay with my Aunt and Uncle? Why do I have to stay here, with **strangers**?" The last nine words icily pierced Mrs. Kamiya's heart. Her eyes widened, the words echoing in her mind. She was unable to stop the tears from forming in her blue eyes as she stared at Aoshi. She started to move forward, her arm outstretched. Aoshi stood where he was.

"I – you … we're … we're _not_ strangers …" she whispered, her voice trembling. "_I_ am not a stranger …"

" … … …" Aoshi sat back down on the bed with his back to her, ignoring her completely. Mrs. Kamiya dropped her hand, as two tears flowed down her cheeks. Why? Why couldn't she just tell him the truth? Why couldn't she just tell him who he was? Who he was to _her_?

She turned around and walked away, heading downstairs, her hand clapped over her mouth.

**At the same time:**

****

Mrs. Makimachi walked back into the dining room, a worried expression on her face. Seeing her, Okina immediately knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" he asked. She shook her head, smiling weakly at her father.

"N-nothing …" she said, sitting down opposite him. She had just answered the door – and saw Kaoru standing on the doorstep, looking like she was ready to burst into tears. She had choked out a question – whether she could see Misao – and when she was given permission, she had run inside.

She wondered if something had happened …

* * *

Misao rubbed her eyes wearily as she felt them start to close. She cursed the painkillers she was being forced to take. True, they didn't make her throw up like before, but they made her so sleepy … and she was sure that _they_ were what influenced her thoughts about a certain 18 year old male.

Stifling a yawn, she was about to shift her position and lie down on the bed, when a figure appeared at her doorway. She smiled, recognizing her at once.

"Kaoru! You – " her voice trailed off as she saw her friend tremble. "Kaoru are you okay?" She stared as Kaoru sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands. She stared in horror at her friend, as she shook with sobs. "Kaoru! Oy! Kaoru! What's wrong! Tell me! Kaoru!" she called, fear rising up inside of her.

"O – Otosa – n …" sobbed Kaoru. "H – He sh – " She trailed off, crying. Misao sat up straight, wincing as pain shot through her knee. She cursed her leg again. If only she had been able to go to Kaoru.

"What did Mr. Kamiya do, Kaoru?" she asked, hissing softly as pain rose in her leg. Kaoru continued sobbing. Misao felt beads of sweat trickle down her back as she furrowed her brows, worried.

"A – Aoshi san – and … O – Okasan … a – and … they – he – " she broke off again.

"Dammit Kaoru, what happened at your place?" asked Misao, her worry causing her to get angry. Kaoru's trembling increased as she raised her voice. Misao glared at her immobile leg, before making up her mind. She edged to the corner of the bed, biting _hard_ on her lip as pain swam through her knee and ankle. Refusing to stop when Kaoru needed her, she managed to her left leg (the uninjured one) on the ground. Slipping the other leg off the bed as well, she hissed again as unbearable pain shot through her leg.

Drawing blood from her lip, she put her weight on her left leg, and, using the bed as support, tried to move forward, without bending her right leg at the knee. It succeeded until she took around two steps … and lost her balance.

* * *

Mrs. Kamiya wiped her eyes on her apron and glanced at the clock. It was 7:12. Kaoru still hadn't returned – and she was sure she was at Misao's house. Taking a deep breath, she walked up the stairs, wondering if what she was doing was right. She stopped outside Aoshi's room. The door was still opened, and Aoshi was _still_ seated with his back to her.

"Aoshi …" she said, her voice hoarse. "You … don't _need_ to … but can you please do me a favour?" She got no reply and chose to finish what she was about to say. " … Kaoru's at Misao's house now. Can you _please_ go and call her for dinner? I … don't think she'll come if I go … and – " she stopped. " – _Please_ Aoshi … call her …"

With a last glance at him, she walked away, heading towards her room, and preparing herself to face _him_.

**Meanwhile:**

****

Misao lashed her arms out, trying to grab hold of something that would save her. As she did so, she accidentally put weight on her right leg. The pain searing through her ankle, to her knee, and through to her thigh was sheer torture. Losing her balance, she fell to the ground – on her side, her _left_ side, thankfully. She closed her eyes, fighting the urge to scream in pain. Kaoru was still crying, oblivious to her predicament.

She was _very_ worried now. What could have happened to make her _so_ upset? Darn it … if only she could MOVE!!! Kaoru needed her support now, and she couldn't give it to her.

**DING DONG**

Mrs. Makimachi opened the door again, this time to see a boy standing on her doorstep. She recognized him at once.

"Aoshi san …" she said. He nodded at her, his face impassive, and his eyes cold. Questions were running through her head at lightning speed.

" … Is … Kaoru san here?" he asked. Mrs. Makimachi nodded.

"H – Hai …" she said, wondering if there was a connection between Kaoru's awful mood, and him. "She's – with Misao …" she said, trying to smile. "You know her room don't you? Go on ahead …" Aoshi hesitated. He didn't want _her_ to say anything about him and Misao like Mr. Kamiya had … "Go ahead, it's alright …" said Mrs. Makimachi, smiling at him.

Nodding, he walked towards the stairs, leaving a _very_ confused lady behind.

* * *

The first thing he saw when he stopped at Misao's door was Kaoru, kneeling down and crying. His icy eyes lost a _bit_ of their glint. Glancing at the bed, he saw, to his surprise, that it was empt –

His eyes widened in horror as he saw the figure sprawled on the ground, clutching her knee. She was whimpering in pain. He moved carefully past Kaoru and rushed to her side. Misao's eyes were closed, and he could see a tear trickling from the corner of her right eye. He knelt down beside her.

" … Misao san?" He got no answer. "Misao?" he repeated, placing his hand on her shoulder. Her eyes opened at once, brimming with tears of pain.

"I – It hurts …" she whimpered. Aoshi nodded. It _had_ to hurt. What had she been _thinking_? Had she fallen off the bed? He sighed. He had to move her.

" … This will hurt," he said, turning her so that she was lying on her back – like what he had done the previous day. Slipping an arm underneath her back – to support it – he held her close to him with the other. Taking a deep breath, he started getting up. It wasn't Misao's weight that was a problem – she was rather light. It was the fact that he was trying to get up, without supporting himself, and trying not to move her right leg.

" – K – Kaoru – I have to – what's wrong – " gasped Misao, wondering if the painkillers were wearing off. Aoshi stared at her. She had tried to get to Kaoru? In _her_ state, with her injured leg? Aoshi turned to Kaoru. She was wiping her eyes, slightly dazed. He sighed. He'd deal with her later. Right now, Misao was his main concern.

Kaoru looked up, and gasped as she saw Misao on the ground, with Aoshi trying to get her back on the bed. She stood up hurriedly and rushed towards them.

"Misao chan! Oh my god … I'm – I'm so sorry! I didn't – Misao! **Why** did you try to do that?" she wailed, feeling like kicking herself. Misao said nothing, as she took in deep breaths of air.

Getting up with Misao in his arms, Aoshi moved the few steps towards her bed and placed her down on it as gently as he could. She writhed slightly as pain seared through her leg again. Once she was safely in bed, he slipped his left arm out from under her back. She breathed heavily, perspiring. Aoshi watched her, somewhat worried.

After a few minutes, her breathing went back to its normal rate. Kaoru, chewing on a finger nail, tugged at Aoshi's elbow. "I'll … I'll get Makimachi san," she said, turning around and running out of the room. Aoshi turned back to Misao.

Misao opened her eyes, wincing as the throbbing started in her knee again. What happe –

"Kaoru!" She struggled to sit up, looking for her friend. A pair of strong arms started pushing her back down gently. She struggled against them. "No – Kaoru – she was crying – "

" … She's okay …" said Aoshi, quietly. Misao shook her head. Why didn't her mother und – Hang on … her mother's voice didn't sound like a _male_'s. She took her first proper look at the person standing next to her bed.

_And wondered if the people up in the sky had a **twisted** sense of humour._

She flushed as she saw the startling eyes look into hers … and the look of worry (_was_ it worry?) on his face. Despite the pain in her leg, she couldn't help but notice his _wet_ hair and … she gulped. That t-shirt shouldn't be … _allowed._ Something _that_ tight and defining –

She allowed him to push her back down, her mind screaming at her all the time. She winced slightly as she unconsciously moved her leg again. Aoshi saw her wince and frowned. He only hoped that she had done any _more_ damage to her leg by pulling that _silly_ stunt. True, she had to have a strong will to force herself to get off the bed with such injuries, but what was she _thinking_?

Glancing at her face again, he saw her cheeks tinged pale red. He wondered if she was getting a fever or something … Her own black bangs were plastered to her face, and her hair was splayed around her pillow. From the stiff way she was resting, he could tell that she was hurting, but wasn't about to admit it.

Why she was hiding her pain, he didn't know. It wasn't as though anyone would laugh if she showed her pain. It was natural to cry out or wince if someone was in pain …

… Then why did _he_ hide his _own_ pain? If it was only _natural_ to cry out or wince … why did he hide his emotional pain? Shaking his head, he reached out and shifted the pillow supporting her right leg. She smiled weakly in thanks, afraid to open her eyes and look at him.

"Misao!" He stepped aside as Mrs. Makimachi ran into the room, followed by an elderly man, and Kaoru. She brushed the bangs away from Misao's face, looking worried. "I _told_ you not to try anything silly Misao," she reprimanded.

"And _I _told you not to try getting off the bed," added the old man. Misao grinned sheepishly, opening her eyes, although she felt _far_ from smiling.

"Gomen Kachan, Jiya …" she said.

"It was my fault Makimachi san," said Kaoru, remorsefully. "I – She wanted to get to me and … and …" As Mrs. Makimachi's blue eyes scanned Kaoru's tear-streaked face, she smiled. She guessed that her daughter must have tried to comfort her …

"Don't blame yourself Kaoru chan," she said, shaking her head. "We all know how _hot-headed_ this _stubborn_ girl can get …" That brought a _slight_ smile to Kaoru's face. "Aoshi san … once again, thank you. If you hadn't been here …" Aoshi shook his head, wondering how many more times he would have to help this girl when she was injured.

Misao flushed as she listened to her mother. If Aoshi hadn't been there … she resisted the urge to hide her red face in her hands again. Okina, trying to diffuse the tense atmosphere in the room opened his mouth.

"I know that this probably isn't the right moment for this … but would _anyone_ care for some noodles?" he asked. The glares from his daughter and Kaoru, and Aoshi's look of surprise made him shake his head. "I was only asking …" He sighed.

"Here, take these," said Mrs. Makimachi, handing Misao a white, circular tablet, together with a glass of water. Misao took them without hesitating … feeling the throbbing increase.

Aoshi closed his eyes, feeling rather … _stretched_. He felt the beginnings of a headache approaching. Why did all of these things have to happen to him? First with Mr. Kamiya and now here … honestly, didn't _anyone_ want him to lead a normal, peaceful life? Not that he minded helping Makimachi Misao … yet …

* * *

**A/N**

**Phewwwwww** … I _never_ thought I'd get to the end of this. The truth was, I kind of forgot my original idea for this, and made this last bit up. I don't know if it was 'interesting' or not, so _please_ forgive me and my memory if it wasn't.

Heh … what'll happen in the next chapter? Will Saito make his presence known again? Will something happen between Kenshin and Kaoru? Will Aoshi see Misao again? Or more importantly … will Aoshi have to _leave_??? Heh … we shall see … we shall see …

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this!

Till the next chapter!

Siriusgirl1


	10. Flashback

**A/N**

It's me again!!!! Heh … I would firstly like to thank everyone for their reviews! I was having some doubts about that last chapter, and didn't want to continue this story for a while – thinking I had _finally_ gone off track – but you proved otherwise! Thank you, thank you, and thank you! Here's chapter nine, and I hope u like this too!

**Kitsune Kenshin: **Heh … I must admit, I was surprised with myself too, about updating this soon, but I thought I should continue to do so, 'coz school starts on the 25th of August (yikes, that's only 20 days away!). Yes, I _am_ hoping that Aoshi and Kaoru will get along together when they find out what's going on – then again, I should know what's going to happen for _sure_, shouldn't I? I also thought that, even though Mr. Kamiya was a bit … too _harsh_, that he had _some_ reason. I mean, _if_ he's thinking that his wife may have … I dunno, had another affair or something, that _would_ make him angry, wouldn't it? Oh well, thanks again for the review! And I wish I was Misao, to have Aoshi coming to _my_ rescue two days in a row! Heh … enjoy!

**Leila Jenkens: **Thanks for the review, and here's the update! Enjoy!

**Oniwabanshu: **Heh … I'll _try_ not to die in the middle of this! Heh … hmm … how is Aoshi related to Kaoru? I hope this chapter will make it clear – I did my best to _hint_ at it, instead of _directly_ saying until this chapter … and I hope it becomes clearer now. Thanks for your review and compliments! (although I wonder if I deserve them). I hope this chapter is what you expected! Enjoy and thanks once more!

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Flashback**

****

****

****

"Oooohh … and _then_?"

"What did _you_ do?" She growled under her breath as she listened to the _high pitched_ female voices exclaim, and rolled her eyes. Honestly, they treated him like some kind of _god_ …

"Did you _let_ him do that to you?"

"Sagara kun, you showed him didn't you?"

"Heh … of _course_ I did. After all, I can't let him think that he can do things like that to _me_ and then _get away_ with them, can I?"

"Of course not!" She twitched, unable to stop the voices from reaching her ears, and also unable to finish the last chapter of the book they had to read for their literature homework. She felt a few veins pop out on her head. Couldn't he just _drop it_?

"Yeah! We would have beaten him up anyway. How _dare_ he lay a hand on you?"

"_Exactly_. Do you know what I did then?"

"No."

"I took a step forward …" He smiled at the attentive female faces crowded around his desk. "And I looked him _directly_ in the eye … and told him …" he paused for effect, smiling inwardly despite the irritation he felt with the _certain _person. "And I – "

**SLAM**

Sano stared at the two slender hands that slammed hard on his table, cutting him off. The rest of the girls around him stared at the _owner_ of the hands, surprised. He looked upward, finally letting his gaze linger on a pair of _narrowed_ eyes …

" – Ah, kitsune, you want to – " he grimaced as he was whacked on the head.

"I … am _trying_ to get some _work_ done here …" said Megumi, coldly. "And it would _help_ if you … _shut up_." Sano grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry kitsune," he said. "Er – I mean, Megumi. I was just telling them about our _wonderful_ athletics practice yesterday." Megumi's eyes returned to their _normal_ size and she chose to stare at him for a second, before letting out a deep breath.

"I am sure that nothing _exciting _happened … so there's no reason for you to make such a _big deal_ about it …" she said at last.

"Oh yeah … but you don't know what happened, do you?" asked Sano, suddenly turning serious. Megumi sighed. She nodded slowly.

"Yahiko told me most of it," she said. She looked back at him. "Is your back alright?" Sano nodded.

"Yeah, it was nothing, really," he said.

"It was a good thing that Soujirou and Aoshi were there …" said Megumi, meaning it. "You'd have been flattened if it weren't for them." Sano glared at her.

"I was just … caught off guard," he grumbled. Megumi said nothing.

"I just can't believe that he would say that … about Soujirou," she said, softly. "Despite everything you guys told me, I didn't think that he was _that_ bad."

"Did you see Soujirou in school today?" asked Sano. Megumi shook her head.

"I saw Yahiko though – just before I came up here," she said. "Come to think of it, Kaoru wasn't there either …" Sano brushed it off.

"They'll come," he said. "They probably went to see Misao again and woke up late or something." Megumi hoped that was it. Sighing, she went back to her desk, ignoring the _glares_ the girls were giving her, for interrupting their _conversation_ with their precious 'Sagara kun.'

* * *

Soujirou yawned as he walked out of the class, heading for the chemistry lab. They had five minutes to make it to the lab – in time for their lesson.

"Did you go to see Misao again?" asked Yahiko, watching him.

"No … I thought that she would be resting," said Soujirou, scratching his head sheepishly. "Actually … I kind of fell asleep early …" Yahiko smirked.

"Aww … _ickle_ Sou can't stay up _late_?" he teased. Soujirou grinned.

"Ha ha," he said. They approached the building the lab was in.

"Soujirou … I need your help …" said Yahiko, at last. Soujirou looked inquiringly at him.

" … Er … what for?" he asked.

"Well …_ he_ told me yesterday that I didn't need to come for practice again right?" asked Yahiko. "So does that mean that I don't need to come at all?" Soujirou sighed. Why did Yahiko have to bring _that_ up? Just when he was trying to forget _him_ and what he had _said_.

"To be honest …" he said, as they approached the lab. "I don't know." He paused. "On one hand, since he _told_ you not to come, there's no reason for you to come." Yahiko nodded. "But on the other hand, you don't know whether he was being serious or not …"

"He told Sano to take a week off too, didn't he?" asked Yahiko. "I'll ask him what he's doing …" Soujirou nodded. Yes, that was best.

"By the way, do you know why Kaoru's not in school today?" he asked. Yahiko shook his head.

"Nah … is _Kenshin_ in school?" he asked, grinning. Soujirou nodded, smiling. "Oh … Aoshi?" Here Soujirou sweat dropped.

"I don't think she likes _Aoshi_, Yahiko," he said.

"You never know …" said Yahiko as they entered the lab.

* * *

Aoshi was _not_ in a good mood. Everyone walking by him could tell that. There was an almost _murderous_ aura around him. Why was he in a bad mood?

Apart from everything that had happened yesterday … that morning, he had wanted to stay at home. Or rather, he hadn't wanted to go to school, but Kaoru had said that she was 'sick' and that _she_ was staying at home. He didn't want Mr. Kamiya to blow his fuse again – which was what would probably happen if he stayed at home as well – so he had come to school.

That morning itself, he had walked into the dining room – thinking Mr. Kamiya had gone – to overhear him telling Mrs. Kamiya to find 'other lodgings' for him; 'him' meaning Aoshi.

Then there was the fact that he didn't even feel like talking to Mrs. Kamiya anymore … it wasn't his fault that he was rude to her. Wouldn't anyone in his situation be the same?

To top it all of, he had handed Amakusa Shogo the clothes he had borrowed from him yesterday, and unfortunately for him, when Shogo had asked if it had 'all gone well' some people had twisted it around and sent them horrified stares, thinking something was up between the two of them. It didn't help when Amakusa Shogo chose to exclaim 'my clothes!' in a loud voice.

Not to mention the _strange_ dream he had had about a girl dressed in some sort of fighting costume, beaming at him, her hair tied back in a braid. Everything about that girl had made his subconscious mind scream 'Makimachi Misao!' but he was sure that couldn't be. Why would she be wearing a _fighting _costume?

Heck, why was he dreaming about _her_ in the first place? Or at least about someone that _looked like_ her?

He had geography next and he wasn't in the mood to go for the lesson. He couldn't help it; he just didn't feel like doing _anything_.

_"I – I'm not a stranger …"_

He frowned as he heard Mrs. Kamiya's words from the night before. She had said that she wasn't a stranger, in reply to him asking why he had to stay with _strangers_. What was that supposed to mean? Did it mean that, being his father's 'best friend' she wasn't a stranger, or that being his father's 'girl friend' she wasn't a stranger? Or maybe she had been _more_ than a -

He cursed inwardly. Meditation … that's what he needed …

"You again." Aoshi bit his tongue, rendering it unable to say a string of rather … _colourful_ words.

" … Hnn …" he chose to mumble, staring into tawny eyes. Saito stared at him for a while without saying anything. "As much as I'd love to stand here all day having you observe me, I have other things to do …" said Aoshi, at last, nodding curtly at him and moving forward. Saito stopped him.

" … Who _are_ you staying with?" Aoshi glanced at him again.

"What?"

"Who are you staying with? You know … _living_ with?" asked Saito, looking piercingly at him. Aoshi shrugged, his mind yelling '**Warning**: This _could_ be bad.'

"Some family …" he said, off-hand. Saito frowned – not angrily, but thoughtfully.

"Uncle Yuuji's _best friend_?" he asked.

" … Yeah …" said Aoshi, his face calm, but his mind asking one question. Why was Saito asking him this _now_? Had something happened? Had Mr. Kamiya called his Aunt and Uncle and asked them to take him back with them? If so … that meant he would be living under the same roof as Saito … how joyful.

" … What's his name?" Aoshi glared at him. Was this an _interrogation _or something? Saito seemed to have read his mind, for he said; "I just want to know …"

"_Her_ name's … Kamiya … Kaeri san, I think," said Aoshi. He heard Saito's intake of breath and frowned. " … Is something wrong?" Saito said nothing.

"You don't know do you?" he asked. Aoshi narrowed his eyes.

"Know what?" he snapped. Saito, it seemed, had reverted back to his _usual_ sadistic, annoying self.

"Oooh … we're _snapping_ at people now, are we?" he asked, smirking. Aoshi's glared would have melted _anyone_ standing in front of him. Unfortunately for him, Saito Hajime wasn't _anyone_.

" … Fine …" he said, at last. Without looking at his cousin, he walked past him, rather rudely. Saito watched him go, smirking.

" … Tem_per_ … didn't your 'mummy' teach not to get angry?" Aoshi continued walking away, pretending he couldn't hear him. "_It's still not too_ _late_ … she can still teach you a few things …"

That caused Aoshi to stop walking at once. Letting the comment rotate inside his head for a while, he turned around, only to see Saito walking away.

He scowled at his cousin's retreating back. What did _he_ mean when he said 'it's still not too late?' Was his mother …

The sound of the second bell ringing – telling him he was five minutes late to class snapped him out of his thoughts. Though still rather confused, he hurried to his geography class, wondering _how_ he was going to get through that day without either killing _someone_ or killing _himself._

* * *

Kenshin stood outside the staffroom, anxious as he waited for Nakamura sensei to come out. After yesterday's events – at the practice – and after Saito had informed him about Hiko Seijiro not attending practice for a while, he had gotten rather worried. Something … something was wrong … From what he knew, Hiko sensei didn't have any family … so he couldn't have gone to see them. Then who –

"Yes – ah, Himura … is something the matter?" asked Nakamura sensei, appearing at the entrance to the large staffroom. Kenshin smiled and bowed politely at the Head of the Sports Department.

"Sensei … I'm sorry to be disturbing you like this," he said, causing the teacher to shake his head. "Demo … do you have _any_ idea where Hiko sensei has gone?"

Nakamura sensei looked surprised as Kenshin stared expectantly at him for an answer. "Hiko? Oh … don't you know?" Kenshin shook his head, his eyes widening slightly, hoping nothing had happened.

"Iie … we weren't told anything," he said.

"No one knows then?" asked Nakamura sensei. Kenshin shook his head again.

"Iie … our _captain_ told us that he went for some 'personal' thing …" he said. Nakamura sensei shook his head.

"Well … yes, I _suppose_ it can be considered as being _personal_ …" he said. Kenshin could no longer stand it. Hiko Seijiro had been the closest person to a father he had ever had.

"Did something happen to him Sensei?" he asked.

"Himura, you will _not_ repeat this to anyone else, do you understand?" asked Nakamura sensei, his brown eyes hardening. Kenshin nodded slowly.

"I … I won't," he said.

"You know Eigamura High school right?"

"H … Hai …" said Kenshin, wondering why the name sounder so familiar.

"Hiko's been offered a position there – as the head of Sports …" said Nakamura sensei. It took a few minutes for the statement to reach Kenshin head, and when it did … his eyes widened.

"He's – he's gone?" he asked, weakly. He didn't want to believe it. Hiko Seijiro had left them … for some position in Eigamura. Their coach would never come back again … which meant that … that Saito would have supreme control over –

"Well, yes," said Nakamura sensei. "But we don't know whether he will accept the position or not …" That made Kenshin focus again.

"Did he … say anything before he left?" he asked. Nakamura sensei shook his head.

"He didn't say anything about his 'answer.' He just said that he's leaving his team in the hands of its captain and vice-captain," he said. "That reminds me, the inter high school tournament is nearing, isn't it? The application forms have arrived … you should get together with your captain and go through them …"

Kenshin nodded slowly, the smile on his face feeling rather fixed. Hiko sensei was _probably_ gone for good … and he had to _work_ with _Saito_? That was …

"Oh, and just so that you know, Kayo's saying that his team will be victorious _again_. Apparently, there's no real _competition_ for his team …" Kenshin sighed. Coach Kayo of Toriyama High School … really knew how to annoy people.

"Sou ka …"

"I am hoping that Mitsurugi High School will emerge victorious this year … we need that victory," said Nakamura sensei. "Well … is that all you wanted to ask me?" Kenshin nodded hurriedly, smiling his thanks at the teacher.

"Hai, arigato gozaimasu, sensei," he said. Nodding, Nakamura sensei walked back inside the staffroom, leaving a rather _burdened_ Kenshin behind.

* * *

**Toriyama****High School****:**

He barely paid any attention to Kayo sensei as he spoke. His mind was fixed on _other_ things. Things that to _him,_ were _much_ more important than _just_ winning a stupid tournament.

" – we then … Yukishiro! Yukishiro, are you listening to me?" He looked at his coach hurriedly.

"H – Hai, sensei …" he said. Kayo sighed. He sometimes wondered why he put up with this team – apart from the fact that they were a group of the best teenage athletes he had seen for sometime.

Leaning against a tree, looking rather bored, was Sawagejou Chou – a second year senior. He wasn't the _best_ athlete on his team, but he was fast. That was what counted.

"From the information I received, Mitsurugi have quite a few talented players their team this year," continued Kayo. "For various age groups."

"Even for the girls?" asked Shura, a first year with long brown hair. Kayo nodded at her.

"Apparently so," he said. "Though most of the girls are pretty average, there is one that _could_ pose a threat …" He sighed. "Makimachi Misao, I think her name was."

"Doesn't _sound_ impressive …" commented Misanagi, a third year that liked to show off her authority – and a lot of other stuff too. Whatever else she did, she was the fastest female athlete available for miles … so he needed her on his team.

"There's a Seta Soujirou for the Under 17 age group. He's supposed to be _very_ fast …" he continued, looking pointedly at the pale haired second year he had been talking to at the beginning. " … You get my point Yukishiro?"

Yukishiro Enishi stared at his coach through his square glasses, a look of boredom on his pale face. "No one can match _my_ speed …" he said, lazily rubbing his head. " … Is that all?" Kayo glared at him. True, he was his _fastest_ and _best_ athlete … but sometimes, he really questioned his sanity. He was the type to blank out in the middle of practice or a conversation … and suddenly look as though he was ready to murder someone when he came back to reality.

He guessed the death of his sister had _really_ hit him hard.

"Oh, and for the Under 19 age group, Mitsurugi have apparently got back their _star_ athlete …" he said. That caught everyone's attention.

"Who?" asked Misanagi.

"A girl or a guy?" questioned Shura.

"A guy … Himura Kenshin I think _his_ name was …" said Kayo. Enishi glanced at him hurriedly.

"What?" he asked his voice low. Kayo nodded.

"I know … _disastrous_ as that sounds, we _will_ overcome – " he was cut off when Enishi stood up straight. His eyes blazed with fury as he 'blanked out' again. " – Enishi?"

"So … he decided to get on with his life again … did he?" growled Enishi. " … After destroying a 'happy' family …" Misanagi stared at him.

"Oy, oy … what _are_ you talking about?" she asked. He continued to glare at no one in particular.

"We'll see … I'd rather die than have … _Himura_ do anything that satisfies him …" he growled, threateningly.

"Enishi … snap out of it," said Shura getting a little worried at her teammate's behaviour. "ENISHI!" He looked at her, hurriedly, his eyes glazed over.

" … Nanda?" he asked. Shura shook her head. What was up with _him_?

"Well … that's about it that I have to say for now," said Kayo, wondering if anyone was _listening_ to him. "Right, now let's practice with the hurdles." There was a series of groans from the members of the team. "Let's see … Team A will consist of Enishi, Shozo and Fujitaka. Team B will consist of Kamatari, Usui and Chou."

"Hai, hai …" said Houjo Kamatari, as cheerfully as he could.

"Girls, I want you to divide yourselves into two teams and practice your _relays_," said Kayo. Misanagi nodded, sighing. She walked over to one end of the field, with Shura and the other girls following her.

Kayo watched them walk off, a smile forming on his face. His team would win again … there was no doubt about it. Not even Mitsurugi High School would stop his team from winning.

* * *

Misao gazed out of the window as Kaoru's words kept on repeating themselves in her head. She couldn't believe that Saito Hajime had said that to Soujirou. She shook her head. Despite the fact that she had _known_ their captain was awful … she had never _thought_ that he'd be as _awful_ as that.

And as for attacking Sano … Misao guessed that it was probably Sano's fault for charging at him first, but come on, if she had been Sano, she would have been _very near_ to kill him. She shook her head again. No, she would have _killed_ him.

Stifling a yawn, she turned her attention to what Kaoru had told her about the 'events' that had taken place at the Kamiya Residence the previous evening. She couldn't believe that Mr. Kamiya had thought that Aoshi had tried _doing stuff_ Kaoru. She frowned as she remembered how she had dropped the book she had been reading when Kaoru told her that her father had thought that Aoshi had been trying to touch her leg. She had turned deep purple, causing Kaoru to get rather worried.

She was really starting to get confused about … well, about _herself_. A few days ago, she would have shrugged, beamed, and thanked anyone that helped her when she needed the help. But when she _did_ get help – yesterday and the day before that – she found herself blushing, feeling light-headed, self conscious and awkward.

What was going on with her? It was only Shinomori Aoshi … Kaoru's mother's best friend's son. There was no need for her to get all _flustered_ and awkward. She was Misao … she could talk to _anyone_ without getting flustered – or, to put it correctly, she could talk to anyone that _helped _her without getting flustered.

Then why was she acting like this? Why was she … thinking like this? Why did her insides squirm when she saw Aoshi? She rubbed her head with her knuckles, desperately wishing that she could knock some sense into her _own_ head. There had to be a logical explanation about all of this. After all, almost _everyone_ she knew said that everything that happened in the world could be explained – logically.

The more she thought about it, the more agreeable the idea sounded. Yes, there _had_ to be a logical explanation for this. Maybe she was feeling a sense of déjà vu. Maybe she had met Aoshi somewhere … and was able to recognize him. That _would_ explain the weird feelings she felt in her gut whenever he was nearby.

Or … or maybe he just had that effect on people. She knew that people always spoke about her as someone that 'brightened up every atmosphere' wherever she went. She didn't know whether she _actually_ did that – although she _did_ want to cheer up people that were depressed or down. Getting back to the point, maybe Aoshi had the _gift_ of making people feel … uncomfortable and _awkward_ wherever _he_ went.

Boy … that _had_ to be an annoying gift. She didn't even know if such a gift _existed_. She nodded hurriedly, trying to clear the doubts entering her mind. Yes, perhaps that was it. That certainly explained her _strange_ behaviour, sudden flushing and the squirming inside of her. She nodded again, trying _desperately_ to convince herself that this was nothing _serious_.

_Then what about the freaky dreams? _

Misao mentally beat up that _inner voice_ of hers as it reminded her about her dreams. Fine, she had to admit that she _had_ had some _freaky_ dreams. Dreams that included her being … saved from a life threatening situation by … (drum roll) none other than a boy with ice blue eyes and black hair. She shivered as she remembered how –

_No, no NO! This was all WRONG! She SHOULDN'T be thinking about those stupid dreams. They would only _increase_ her confusion._

Aha … she had come to 'logical explanation' no. 3. Maybe she was just watching too much anime; too much anime that included 'cool and silent' Bishonen that _always_ had people falling in love with them and whose hearts were _always_ captured by the _least _likely people – people who weren't like _them_.

"Aaaarghhh … I need to go see a psychiatrist …" she groaned, shaking her head lightly to get rid of the thoughts that were currently plaguing her mind. She thought about her leg – and her prayer was immediately answered as her thoughts turned to the unbearable pain she had felt throughout the previous night.

After her little 'stunt' she hadn't been able to move _at all_. The painkillers her mother had given her had not worked – either that or the pain in her leg was too much – and she hadn't been able to sleep for more than _half an hour_ the most. Why? With pain as indescribable as _that_ flooding through her whole _body_ … wasn't it only natural that she would have stayed up the whole night?

The only regret she had about that was that her mother and grandfather hadn't been able to get any sleep either. Her mother had, after around three hours of having to run into her room each time she moaned, stayed in the room, sitting by her bed, and she was sure that her grandfather had checked on the two of them every now and then.

The pain was _better_ today … it only hurt when she moved her leg around a lot, and besides, if she didn't _think_ about the pain, she wouldn't feel it – OUCH … no, she took that back. She _did_ feel it.

_That's no excuse to stop trying to figure out why you're thinking about HIM_.

Misao ignored her 'inner voice' wondering if there was anything she could do to get it to shut up. Inner voices, she thought, shouldn't have bee _allowed_. They were annoying … very annoying.

_How about logical explanation no. 4?_

Misao hummed to herself, trying to drown out the voice of her _inner_ voice, speaking _inside_ her head. She shook her head, smiling. She _really_ needed an appointment with a psychiatrist … soon.

_Maybe you're in love with him_.

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

_"And what is Ms. Kojima unnecessarily worrying herself about on a day as bright as this?"_ _She turned around, her long black hair following her head's movement. Her dark blue eyes found themselves looking into another pair of blue eyes, although these were striking, ice blue._

_"She's wondering why Mr. Shinomori asked her such a question, on a day as bright as this," she replied, a smile beginning to form on her lips. The 18 year old owner of the ice blue eyes laughed pleasantly, doing much to increase her smile._

_"Must be my influence," he said, winking at her. The girl's smile disappeared as she turned back to her desk by the window. He frowned slightly. "Kaeri?"_

_"It's not funny Yuuji," she said, quietly. "Otosama … really does think that your influence on me is bad …" Shinomori Yuuji sighed inwardly, running a hand through his black hair._

_"Do **you** think I'm a bad influence on you?" he asked. Kaeri glared at him._

_"Of course I don't!" He smiled, bringing his face down so that it was level with hers._

_"Then what's the problem?" he asked, smirking at the faint blush forming on her cheeks as she stared at his face. "If you don't think so, why are you getting so worried?"_

_"Because Otosama will … do something …" she mumbled, averting her gaze. _

_"Do something? To me?" asked Yuuji. She shook her head hurriedly. _

_"I won't let him do that," she said. "It's just that … he …" She paused, taking a deep breath. "I want – he doesn't – " Yuuji grinned mischievously._

_"I understand that my presence next to you makes you flustered, but is that **really** a reason for you to get tongue-tied?" he asked. Kaeri blushed again, as she tried to glare at him. Looking at the clock on the wall of the class, she saw that it was __7:12__. Registration was at __7:30 am__. A glint entered her eyes as she turned to her best-friend again._

_"Yuu-chan, do you plan on doing any work today?" she asked. Yuuji was somewhat startled by the question._

_"Er … is there **ever** a time when I plan on doing work? I'm just forced to work," he said. Kaeri smiled, standing up and taking her small bag with her. Yuuji stared at her, slightly confused. What was she – She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door. "H – Hey – hang on! What are you – "_

_"Just come on," said Kaeri, smiling at him and leading him out of the class, down the corridor, through the school gate, down the street, and to the park. _

_He stared at her as she dropped her bag down next to a thick tree, and as she moved towards the kid's slide that had been built in the 'kids' section of the park. _

_He smirked as she tried to get to the top of the slide without using the small ladder behind it, and lost her footing and fell in a heap on the ground. Glaring at herself, she moved to the ladder and sat down on top of the slide. _

_"Well? I don't bite, you know," she said, seeing him stand where he was. Shaking his head and keeping his own bag down, he walked up to her, choosing to stand by the slide instead._

_"You decide to skip class - dragging me with you - and your father says **I'm** a bad influence?" he asked, ducking as Kaeri aimed a blow at his head. _

_"Oh shut up, Mr. Goody Two shoes," she grumbled. He grinned._

_"Want me to show you the 'Mr. Baddie Two Shoes' side of me?" he asked, lowering his voice. She glared at him, knowing that the tinge of red on her cheeks was visible._

_"Do you know what Otosama plans on doing?" she asked, at last. _

_"Something along the lines of 'exterminating Shinomori Yuuji from the phase of the world?" _

_"He doesn't want me to go to university …" Yuuji glanced hurriedly at her._

_"What?! That's absurd! You've always wanted to go to University … and get a job …" he said. "And get married …" he added, as an afterthought. "Besides, we need to hand in the university applications were given sometime next week! If you don't do that … your dream of going to – "_

_"That's what **I** want to do Yuu-chan," she said, smiling sadly. "Not what **Otosama** wants me to do." _

_"So you plan on listening to him and not going to university?" She saw the anger mixed with confusion in Yuuji's eyes, and she closed her eyes. _

_"That's not all he's planning …" she said. _

_"There's **more**?" She smiled._

_"He wants me to get married to – to some businessman's son …" Yuuji's face darkened for a second, before a small smile found itself on his face again._

_"Ah yes … better marrying his daughter off to some big **businessman's** son as opposed to some **average, engineer's** son … right?" he asked. When Kaeri turned to look at him, her face was distraught. She gripped the side of the slide hard._

_"I don't want to, Yuuji! I don't want to get married …" she exclaimed. "At least … not to anyone Otosama chooses …" She never took her eyes away from him. "I – I wanted to … to go to university and … and finish with a degree, get a job and … and marry …" she turned away from him, opting to stare at her lap. "And marry my best-fried, Shinomori Yuuji …" She laughed. "But how can I do that?"_

_Yuuji stared at her, compassion flooding his heart as he listened to her – it was during these moments when Kojima Kaeri shared her **true** feelings with the world, instead of thinking she had to act differently to please someone._

_"And I want to go to university, get a degree, a job … a **great** girl as my wife and live happily ever after too," he said, smiling at her. Kaeri felt her eyes flooding with tears and she stubbornly willed them away. She wasn't going to cry. She wasn't going to – _

_Yuuji raised his hand to cup her cheek and turned her face gently to face his. Her watery blue eyes met his ice blue, full of compassion and love._

_"Are you going to give up, Ka-e-ri?" he asked, saying her name the way he used to say it when they were small. She said nothing. "Are you going to let go of the dream you have created for yourself over the past 18 years of your life?" He smiled gently. "I thought you never give up, Kaeri. I thought you would never give up until you achieved your dream … unless …" His smile wavered. "Unless … you don't want that dream any longer …" He took his hand from her face slowly._

_She saw the brief flash of pain in his eyes. She knew that he was thinking that she didn't want … him anymore. A tear rolled down her cheek as she realized that … he wouldn't stop her from leaving him … and marrying another man – if that would make her happy. _

_"I – I **want** to marry you …" she said hoarsely, two more tears rolling down her cheeks. "I … I love y – AAAARGHHHHH!!!!" Yuuji watched her in amusement as she waved her arms around, feeling herself sliding down the slide. Unable to grip the sides of the slide hard enough, she slid down it, landing, once again, in a heap. _

_He chuckled as he heard a string of rather 'colourful' words issue forth from her mouth. Brushing off the droplet of water that had leaked out of his left eye, he walked over to where she was still lying, growling about **'**gravity ruining special moments**'** before he extended a hand to help her up._

_Kojima Kaeri … he wondered what he would do if she was married off to a 'big businessman's' son … What would his life be like without her? He shuddered. He didn't want to even think about it._

__

Mrs. Kamiya opened her eyes with a start. It took her a few moments to register in her mind that she was in her room – at the Kamiya residence, and not at the park.

She sat up slowly, watching the ray of sunlight filter lazily into the room, alighting on the furniture in it. She massaged her head lightly, her mind still whirling as she thought about the old memory that had suddenly entered her mind, having 'escaped' from the barricade she had built to keep it and all her other memories from entering her mind again.

Yuuji … She smiled. She had been _very_ lucky to have someone like him as a best friend. She just … she just regretted not being able to make him understand that. Her smile faded as she remembered her father and how he had _forbade_ her from talking to him anymore. For her father, the only important thing _he_ had to do for the family was to get his daughter married to a well-off man, and see to it that she would live a comfortable life with everything she wanted.

It didn't matter to him if that meant forcing her to marry some big businessman's son – whom she didn't love, instead of to an average man, whom she loved with all her heart. Her father had _made_ her do what she did, whether or not she loved the 'businessman's' son.

Her eyes widened.

Whether or not she loved the 'businessman's' son.

Did she … _really_ feel that way? Even now after all these years? Her face paled. Was she saying that she didn't love _him_ ...?

_What is wrong with me? I shouldn't say that … he's my husband. Of course I love him. How could I – _

_- But I didn't want to marry him, did I? I wanted to finish school, go to university, get a degree, get a job … and marry … and marry Yuuji …_

She shook her head hard. She shouldn't dwell on events of the past. She was … Kamiya Kaeri now, Kamiya Kaeri with a responsibility to look after her husband and child – not Kojima Kaeri who wanted to challenge the world and try _new_ things.

_But Kojima Kaeri led a happier life, didn't she? She never had to worry about her 'husband' getting angry with her, or shouting at her …_

That was true … but Hisashi had every right to get angry with her. Here she was, keeping some 'unknown' boy in their house, with their 16 year old, innocent daughter. Something was bound to happen …

A picture of Aoshi flashed through her head. His face was expressionless and his ice blue eyes stared directly at her. She smiled unconsciously. He looked extraordinarily like his father … like … Yuuji …

_"Why do I have to stay with … strangers?"_

She massaged her head again as Aoshi's words from the night before entered her mind again. She remembered getting upset hearing them … but now that she thought about it, what he said was … acceptable. He didn't know who _she_ was, _why_ he was living with her instead of with his Aunt (his father's sister) … and it _was_ unfair of her husband to ask him to leave and treat him like trash.

She closed her eyes as she remembered the argument she had had with her husband the previous night, after they had had a rather _tense_ dinner. Aoshi had refused to eat anything and had gone straight upstairs, probably knowing that her husband would try saying something to him again. Kaoru's pale face and red eyes told her that she had been crying, and her husband's grim face did nothing to lighten the atmosphere.

Hisashi had told her _firmly_ that Aoshi had to go. He had said that it was either Aoshi or him and Kaoru. She had to 'choose' who she wanted; her husband and daughter, or Aoshi. She had reasoned with him, the best that she could, telling him that Aoshi had no family, and that he had already switched schools and if he continued to do this, he wouldn't get a stable education.

She had ended it by saying that her 'best-friend' would have looked after Kaoru without any second thought if _she_ had been brought to _him_, if her parents had died. She also chided him for making that comment about Aoshi's mother.

_"So you said that his father died, what about his mother? Why can't he stay with his mother? Or wait, did his mother abandon him? I must admit, I wouldn't be surprised to find out that that's the real reason as to why he's here …" _

She couldn't help but smile as she wondered what he would say if he knew that he had been _almost_ a hundred percent correct. Aoshi's mother had 'abandoned' him … but it wasn't because she didn't love him. That was far from the truth. She had loved … Aoshi's father as well … but … fate didn't always go the way people wanted it to.

In any case, she had managed to calm her husband down, and he had said that he'd put up with Aoshi – only because she was begging him to. He had also agreed with her that he shouldn't have brought up the thing about Aoshi's parents. However, he had said he wasn't going to apologize to him. At least agreeing to let him continue to stay with her was _something_, so she had let the issue drop.

Maybe she should tell Aoshi the truth. The truth as to why he was staying with _them_ instead of with his aunt and uncle. The _truth_ as to why he … thought his mother was 'dead.' The truth as to why –

No, she couldn't tell him. Who knows what he would do once he found out the truth? She sighed, feeling her head throbbing lightly. She had known from the day that Kazuko and Tooru had brought Aoshi to her house that she would someday have to face some problem or the other. She didn't mind Aoshi staying with them – how could she?

She just wondered … how he would react if he learned the truth. Would he start hating her? She smiled sadly. He had every right to hate her. Who wouldn't? She guessed that Kaoru would most probably hate her too … for lying to her all this time – and Hisashi … she shuddered, not wanting to _think _of how he would react.

"Okasan?" She looked up hurriedly, hurtled out of her thoughts. Kaoru was standing at the doorway, looking slightly worried at her.

"K – Kaoru …" she said, putting on a bright smile for her daughter. "Is something wrong?" Kaoru shook her head slowly.

"I was going to ask _you_ that, Okasan," she said. Mrs. Kamiya managed to raise her eyebrows at her daughter.

"But … you're the one that's 'sick' right?" she asked, innocently. Kaoru flushed.

"Er … right …" she said. She walked up to her mother and sat down on the bed beside her. "Okasan … can I ask you something?" The first thought that entered Mrs. Kamiya's mind was that she had somehow found out about Aoshi … She shook her head inwardly. That was fairly impossible.

"Of course …" she said, keeping her voice steady.

"How … how did Aoshi san's father die?" Kamiya Kaeri's eyes widened slightly, before returning to their normal size. She felt a pang as she heard her daughter's 'innocent' question. If only she knew who 'Aoshi's father' _was_ …

" … He had cancer …" she said softly, her voice sounding to her ears, as though it was coming from far away. She felt Kaoru stiffen. "It … apparently 'caught up with him' in the end … causing him to – " She didn't stop because Kaoru had understood. She stopped because she didn't want to say anything more. She didn't even want to _think_ anymore … fearing that the tears would come again … the wound of grief of Yuuji's death causing them to re-form.

"Poor Aoshi san …" said Kaoru quietly, now understanding why Aoshi acted the way he did. He didn't want to get hurt again.

"That's why … that's why Aoshi is … " Mrs. Kamiya stopped. Aoshi was what – emotionless? Cold? Indifferent? Her daughter shook her head, knowing what her mother was trying to say. The 'favour' he did for her was fresh in her mind.

"He's not as bad as he looks, Okasan," she said, smiling. "He just acts that way to – "

" – Prevent himself from getting hurt again … yes, I know Kaoru …" finished her mother, sighing. Yet again he was so like his father. There was a short silence in the room. Until a question popped into Kaoru's head, making her smile again.

"Okasan?"

"Hai?"

"Why are we almost _whispering_ about Aoshi san? He's not even here …" Mrs. Kamiya smiled. That was true, but – the sound of her daughter's stomach growling cut her off. Kaoru turned bright red and shook her head.

"I'm not – that wasn't – ignore that – "

"Come on … let's find you something to eat," said her mother, standing up and walking to the door. Grinning sheepishly, Kaoru followed her. As she walked down the stairs, Mrs. Kamiya's mind was still in a bit of a muddle as to what she should make of her life. She knew one thing for sure, though; she was glad that she had Kaoru with her …

* * *

**Mitsurugi ****High School****:**

Kenshin sat down at the wooden table, concentrating on his breathing – a form of meditation. The figure seated on the chair opposite his, lowered the magazine he was reading, glanced at him once, before raising the magazine again. Kenshin sweat dropped. He didn't have to be _that_ rude.

"Saito … Nakamura sensei gave me these …" he said, nodding at the sheaf of papers he had put down on the table. He heard a grunt, and smiled, despite the thoughts going around in his head. " … He said that these forms need to be filled up soon …" That caught the 'wolf's' attention.

"Forms?" he asked, without lowering the magazine. Kenshin nodded.

"Hai, application forms for the tournament," he said. Saito lowered the magazine and gazed at the forms, before turning to Kenshin, his eyes narrowed.

"Let me _guess_, the Captain _and_ Vice-Captain have to fill them in …" Kenshin nodded.

"Exactly. The sooner we get these done, the sooner we see _less_ of each other," he said. Saito smirked.

"Good," he said, grabbing the forms and looking through them as Kenshin sat patiently. "Hmm … Under 19, Under 18 and Under 17 … hurdles, relays, races …" A few minutes later, he glared at Kenshin. "_Well_?"

"Well what?" asked Kenshin, taken aback. Saito rolled his eyes.

"Tell me Himura, what do we fill up these forms _with_? Drops of blood?" he asked. Kenshin flushed. He was not going to let Saito get to him. He was not going to let Saito get to him. He was NOT going to let Saito get to him.

"I'll get a pen from the librarian …" he mumbled, standing up and walking up to the librarian's desk, asking her politely if he could borrow a pen. No one refused anything Kenshin asked for – they loved him that much. Sano used to tease him saying that if he asked the principle to step down and let _him_ run the school, the principle might very well do that.

Sitting back down at the desk, he cleared his throat. "They said there's no blood in the ink," he said sarcastically. Saito said nothing.

"Hmm … Under 19 Boys 4 into 100 meter relay …" said Saito thoughtfully. "I would say … me …" Kenshin coughed.

"Er … but we _do_ need another runner – in case …" he said. Saito raised an eyebrow at him.

"I _assure_ you, I _won't_ get delayed …" he said. "I _will_ turn up …"

"That's not what I meant," said Kenshin. "You know we always assign a spare runner."

"Aoshi then," said Saito. Kenshin stared at him.

"What?" he asked surprised.

"Don't tell me you don't even understand _English_ now …" sighed Saito. "I said Aoshi can be the spare runner." Kenshin nodded, colouring. He took the form from Saito and began filling it in.

"Saito Hajime and Shinomori Aoshi," he said, finishing with it and ticking the two names on the list he had prepared before hand.

"Hnn … Under 19 Girls 4 into 100 …" said Saito. "There's no one to take part in this, is there?" Kenshin was silent for a while.

"There _is_ Mitsui Yoriko san …" he said.

"And backup?"

"No one …" he said, resignedly. "Honda Miyoko is in the Under 18 group."

"Well _someone_ is better than no one," said Saito. Kenshin wrote the name down again. "Under 19 mixed relay … we need another girl on this team … for the under 19's." Kenshin nodded.

"I'll look into that," he said, wondering _who_ would want to join the team now. "But apart from that, Yoriko san, you and Aoshi can do that."

"Excuse me, did I _say_ I would take part in the relay?" asked Saito. Kenshin flushed.

"I just …" he stopped. It was no use. "Fine, Yoriko san, Aoshi and I then." Saito nodded.

"That's more like it." Kenshin left that form aside, until he found another candidate. "For all the Under 19 Girl's relays, it'll be that Mitsui girl and the new girl you find." Saito looked thoughtful. "Under 19 Boys 2 into 100; you can do that, and Aoshi can do Under 19 Boys 100 meters. I'll be backup for those."

Kenshin hurriedly filled in the form handed to him. So far, Saito had sounded _somewhat_ reasonable … At least he knew his job.

"Under 18 Boys … hnn … that kid, Sawakita – he'll do well here," said Saito. He was referring to the 2 into 100 meter relay. Kenshin frowned.

"The 4 into 100 will be perfect for Sano," he said. Saito turned his tawny eyes to him.

"Sano? Oh … the chicken brain …" he said. Kenshin said nothing. "I _did_ give him a week of, didn't I? Who're our other second year runners?"

"Kaede and Sano," said Kenshin. Saito sighed.

"It seems we have no choice then," he said, sounding as though he didn't like it. "In _that_ case … use them."

"For all the events?"

"Well … you just told me that there's no one else," said Saito.

"Yes …" said Kenshin, gritting his teeth as he entered the form. The 4 into 100 meter relay had Sawakita Kaede as the back up, whilst the others had Sano as the backup runner. "And the relay?"

"Before _that_ Himura, we need to know about the girls …" said Saito. "Honda Miyoko is there as you said … is there no one else?"

"Kamei Kyoko – she's a first year, but she's already 17. By the time the tournament takes place, she'll be 17 years and around one month – "

"I didn't ask for her _personal_ information, Himura, so stuff it."

" - Too old for the Under 17's …" said Kenshin, wishing that he _wasn't_ the vice-captain, and that he _hadn't_ returned to school. He filled in the form. "That's the team for the mixed relay then?" he queried.

"Well I don't think we have _anyone_ else to use … so isn't it obvious?" Kenshin would have growled if he wasn't … well, if he wasn't Kenshin. As it was, he felt like punching the daylight out of the boy seated opposite him.

" … …"

"Under 17 Boys – oh, that's simple. Seta can do all of that." Kenshin gaped at him. Was he _crazy_? Soujirou was a fast athlete – that was pretty much obvious – but sending him for all of these, _alone_, was impossible. Each school had two athletes running each race – for insurance. Soujirou, despite his speed, would find it difficult to do _everything_ by himself.

"He needs backup," he said, firmly.

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"Oh, and who are we going to use then? Arizuka Shihiro?" asked Saito, smirking nastily. "His weight is a bit of a _problem_ is it not?" Kenshin glared 'reversed-edged blades' at him.

"It's not nice to make fun of his weight," he said. "And we can always use Yahiko." Saito snorted.

"I told the brat he didn't need to come for practice for a _reason_, Himura," he said. "We don't need him."

"Saito, what's more important here is getting a team organized – not personal grudges," said Kenshin, slowly.

"Ah yes … but I'm the Captain, not you," said Saito. Kenshin glowered at him.

"For Heaven's sake Saito, leave aside your stupid remarks and horrible nature and do something that'll benefit _everyone_ instead of just yourself!" he said. Saito raised both his eyebrows at him.

"Oh? Then I presume that _that's_ why you had your _girl-friend_ killed two years ago?" he asked. Kenshin's violet eyes narrowed. "I've been wondering why people haven't been asking you about how you got that scar … when you _escaped_ from the car accident, leaving you girl-friend to die."

" … If it could have saved her, I would have given up my life for Tomoe," said Kenshin, his voice containing a sharp edge to it. The aura around him had completely changed.

"I see …"

"I admit, I should have been more careful about it … but I didn't mean for Tomoe to … die …"

"_Interesting_ though your _messed up_ love life is, we _do_ have some more forms to fill in," said Saito. "And I'd like to get them done sometime _soon_." Kenshin never took his violet eyes off the tawny ones as the aura around him dimmed to his usual one. When the anger was _completely _gone, he looked back at the papers. "Hmm … we'll have to see about Myoujin …" said Saito. "In any case, we will need to find someone for the girls …"

"Yes …" said Kenshin.

"The weasel … she will be fine in a month or so …" said Saito. "Put her down."

"We can't do that," said Kenshin. "We don't even know if her leg will heal that fast – "

"Put her down; she's our best bet for the girls so far," said Saito. "And meanwhile look for another girl to use as backup."

"But – if Misao can't make it on that day, we'll have to forfeit!"

"Himura, I'm not _stupid_," said Saito. "Her 'backup' will run for her in that case." He paused. "Aren't you going to write that down?" Kenshin growled again. "Well, since that's it – and you know what to do for the relays – I will, unfortunately be seeing you again." With that, Saito stood up and walked out of the library, leaving a seething Kenshin behind.

The taunt about Tomoe echoed in his head, making him growl again. Saito Hajime _sure_ knew how to ruin someone's mood … and how to make even the most easy-going person an enemy of his.

In any case, he would need to find a few additional runners … the school wasn't at fault for Saito's horrible attitude – although they _did_ choose him as captain. Sano would have made a better captain in _his_ opinion. He didn't mind running … but he hoped he would be able to win – with his leg …

He'd ask Yahiko, Soujirou and Kaoru if they knew anyone that could join the Under 17 girls team – Speaking of Kaoru, he hadn't seen her anywhere …

Shrugging slightly as he turned his mind back to the tournament, he stood up. He had some searching to do.

* * *

**A/N**

YAY!!! Another chapter done … and I hope it went well. It wasn't _as long_ as the other's … but I was getting a _bit_ tired of typing for so long. Sorry 'bout that!

I hope the 'flashback' scene of Shinomori Yuuji and Kojima Kaeri was good. I kind of liked it. And the part about the Toriyama High School … I thought I should include some 'opponents' too. Houji Kamatari I included as a man here – well, he _is_ a man, isn't he? Heh heh … and I might even include Tsubame chan somewhere in this story … I dunno … it depends though …

Anyways, hope you liked it!

See ya soon!

Siriusgirl1


	11. Confession

**A/N**

Here's chapter ten! Heh … once again, I have to apologize if it's too short, but _really_, my neck was _killing_ me while I was doing this! I hope this is good anyway, despite the length! And thanks for the reviews!

**Kitsune Kenshin: **August 16th? Ohh … man, and I thought the 25th was bad. Oh well, we've got to go back _someday_, right? Heh, that was the impression I was trying to give about Kenshin (the principal thing). And yes, I _did_ put that part about Enishi because I realized that I had to mention the _opposition_ for the tournament! I agree, Misao _should_ go for explanation no. 4. Heh, wonder what she'll do. Anyway, thanks for the review, and I hope you like this chapter!

**Oniwabanshu: **Hallo! I'm glad I managed to explain how Aoshi and Kaoru are 'related.' I was wondering _how_ I could include that, without making it _too_ direct. I deserve the compliments? Gosh … thanks! Heheh … I will continue to do my best in updating soon! Thanks for the review, and I hope you like this one!

**Jt: **Thanks! I hope this one's interesting too! Thanks once again for the review!

**Jade eyed neko: **Aoshi and Misao are _definitely_ cute! (Him especially … heh). And I must agree with you that Saito needs to become a bit more bearable. Like I mentioned before, it is quite difficult for me to write his character in this fic, since I'm making him quite – no, **very** – mean. Hmm … Tokio … I could do that, actually. Thanks! And Sano and Megumi … yes, there _will_ be more of them, providing that I don't let my focus slip from Aoshi/Misao to Kenshin/Kaoru or Sano/Megumi! Thanks 4 the review, and I hope you like this!

**Kakashi-fan: **Thanks! Encouragement always helps! Hope you like this!

**Leila Jenkens: **Heh … nope, I haven't taken part in an athletics tournament before (except for our school's inter house sports meet). I just remember our principal announcing winners of Inter-school tournaments during assembly, calling out their names and the categories they took part in (and I thought I _didn't_ pay attention in assembly!). Thanks for the review, and I hope you like this!

Well … on with chapter 10!

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Confession**

****

****

Kenshin sighed as he saw Saito approach him and the rest of his 'group.' Did Saito _always_ like annoying people? He gritted his teeth. He wouldn't let Saito get to him – no matter what he said. Arizuka Shihiro, standing next to Kenshin and watching Sawakita Kaede running, saw Saito approach them, and began quivering.

He hated his captain – he always made him feel _small_ and _insignificant_. Saito stopped beside Kenshin, his usual smirk on his face. Kenshin didn't acknowledge him.

"Hmm … quite a peaceful practice we have today …" said Saito, looking around the field lazily.

"Indeed …" said Kenshin. "Yes, that's the way, Sawakita san."

"I wonder why it's so _quiet_ and peaceful … " continued Saito.

"So do I …" said Kenshin. "Ah, Aoshi san, arigato." Aoshi nodded as he passed the bottle of water towards Kenshin, before he turned to his own job; timing Mitsui Yoriko on her 100 meter relay. Saito's smirk widened.

"Ah … I know why it's so quiet …" he said at last. "The chicken brain and the brat aren't here …" Kenshin stiffened slightly.

" … Hmmm …" was all he said, as he gulped down most of the water.

"And _where_ are the two idiots?" Kenshin didn't answer at once.

"I think they went home," he said.

"Oh? And … _why_ did they do that?" questioned Saito, glancing eerily at Shihiro and making the younger boy shiver.

"Because you told them to take time off," replied Kenshin. Saito raised his eyebrows at the red haired boy.

"And if I told them to commit suicide, they'd do that too?" he asked.

"No, they're not _that_ stupid …" said Kenshin. Saito frowned, not saying anything. That made Kenshin suspicious. He had thought that Saito would have replied with some sarcastic remark or the other. He saw Saito frowning, and watched as the frown turned into a smile.

Normally, that wouldn't have worried him. A person smiling instead of frowning was a _great_ thing – something he liked very much. But when it was _Saito_ that smiled … that was an entirely different story. Why? Saito never smiled unless something _bad_ was going to happen to someone.

"Hnn …" he said, nodding at Kenshin, and walking away. Kenshin stared after him, a queasy feeling entering his stomach. He didn't like it … he _knew_ that something was going to happen …

Aoshi sighed as Yoriko finished the race, panting and nodding her thanks at him as he passed her a towel. He turned towards Kenshin, and saw Saito walking away. He sighed again. At least nothing _explosive_ was taking place during the practice.

He had never expected to be on this field again – he hadn't even _joined_ the athletics team in the first place – but he had been forced to _join_ it. Well fine, he hadn't been _forced_ to … but he had _had_ to.

Why? During the morning break, he had been approached by Kenshin, saying that they had the application forms for the tournament, and that he and Saito had filled them in. He had nodded all the time he had spoken, wondering what 'application forms' and 'filling them in' had to do with him. He had found out pretty soon; they had entered him for the Under 19 Boys relays …

He had opened his mouth to argue with Kenshin then and there, when the shorter boy had cut in, saying that they had _no one_ else to use, and that _he_ couldn't run in _all_ the races with his leg injury … and that Aoshi was their only hope.

Aoshi still had tried to argue – at least once – when the dratted bell had rung, and with a bow and a smile, Kenshin had disappeared, without waiting for an answer. He had had every mind to go home as soon as the bell rang, instead of staying for practice. It wasn't _his_ fault that they had put _his_ name down without even _asking_ him.

But _no_ … his mind _had_ to start gnawing at his conscience, telling it that the school was _depending_ on him, and that they wouldn't have put his name down if they _had_ other runners to use.

And so, during one of his free periods – before the end of school – he had asked the Head of Year 3 if he could _dash_ home and get some clothes to wear …

He had done that, and at 1:40, had made his way to the field. He sighed again. Things were going horribly wrong for him these days. He was doing things that he usually _wouldn't_ have done. And worst of all, he didn't know _why_ he was doing them. And the question as to _why_ Saito wanted to know who he was staying with and his remark about his 'mummy' only served to muddle his thoughts even more.

_That_ and the image of Misao in a 'fighting' costume constantly entering his mind … did nothing to help improve his mood.

Why was all of this happening to him?

* * *

"Okasan?" called Kaoru, poking her head into her parents' room. Her mother wasn't there. She walked down the stairs. "Okasan?"

"I'm in the kitchen Kaoru," called Mrs. Kamiya. Kaoru walked into the kitchen to find her mother preparing lunch. She smiled.

"Okasan, I'm going over to see Misao chan … and I'll be there for sometime …" she said. "Is that okay?" Mrs. Kamiya nodded.

"Of course it's okay," she said. "Hmm … I was planning on making some food for you to give her … I'll do that tomorrow then …" Kaoru grinned.

"I'm sure she'll be glad to hear that," she said. "I mean, with the Aoiya's _best_ cook – Makimachi san – _and_ another good cook – you – tending to her, who wouldn't be?"

"Although it is a pity when good cook's daughters don't have the gift … isn't it?" asked her mother, smiling.

"Okasan! I _can _cook!" said Kaoru. Her mother laughed.

"Hai, hai," she said. "Oh, and ask Misao how the 'good-looking burglar' is …" It took a while for the meaning to dawn on Kaoru. And when it did … her eyes widened. She had forgotten … she had _completely_ forgotten … "Kaoru?" Kaoru snapped out of her daze.

"Okasan! I – I completely forgot that Misao – Aoshi san – " she stopped.

" … Kaoru?"

"Okasan, yesterday, Misao chan … kind of fell off her bed trying to … get to me …" she continued. "When I went there – after Otosama … you know …" Her mother nodded. "Yes, well, she fell trying to get to me, and I didn't know about it. And … and Aoshi san came – to get me – and … and he …" Kaoru grinned. "And he lifted her up and put her back on the bed!"

" … Oh?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, not really understanding what her daughter was trying to say.

"Okasan … she was flushing – not because she had fever or anything – but because she was _embarrassed_!" exclaimed Kaoru. "I should have realized that before!" Mrs. Kamiya smiled.

"Hmm … have you asked her about it?" she asked. Kaoru shook her head.

"Well … not _really_ …" she said. "Oh! And Aoshi san said that he had gone to visit her – with Kenshin and the rest – after practice that day!"

"Kaoru, I think you're going a _bit _too far now …" said her mother. Kaoru shook her head.

"No, Okasan, you don't understand," she said. "Misao chan is not the type of person to fall in love with someone." She grinned. "There's a friend of Kenshin's – Amakusa Shogo – who likes her, but she doesn't like him. He does his – "

"Kaoru, I don't think you should be telling _me_ this …" interrupted her mother, smiling. "Misao would kill you …" Kaoru grinned.

"Like I'm scared of her!" she said. "I have something against her!" She stopped. "I wonder … does Aoshi san like her?" Mrs. Kamiya shook her head.

"Kaoru, don't try to set them up or anything," she said, seriously. "You don't know what _could_ happen … your father might get to know and Aoshi could be put in trouble again … or Rika will get to know and _you'll_ be in trou – " She stopped when she saw that she was talking to thin air. Kaoru had gone. She shook her head again. When would Kaoru learn to leave things as they were? If Misao liked Aoshi, or if Aoshi liked Misao, they should figure it out for _themselves_ … without the interference of other people …

Then again … she didn't think that Misao _liked_ Aoshi. The 'good-looking burglar' thing was just something to tease the girl about – not something that had and _meaning_ to it. She sighed.

She should start preparing lunch, instead of thinking about people's love lives.

* * *

Misao was fuming. She couldn't help it. Firstly, she was stuck in bed. Secondly, her knee had started throbbing again. Thirdly, she was bored. And fourthly, her _inner voice_ had served in confusing her _already_ confused brain.

"Kuso … if I could just walk …" she growled aloud. She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. There was no point in getting angry anyway. That wouldn't help her get better soon _or_ walk soon.

"Misao chan?" asked Kaoru, poking her head into the room. Misao smiled.

"Kaoru chan!" she said, smiling. Kaoru walked inside, smiling at her. "I thought you were _ill_," teased Misao. Kaoru stuck her tongue out at her.

"Oh shut up," she said, good-naturedly. Misao grinned.

"How's Kamiya san?" she asked. Kaoru knew what she meant.

"She's okay I guess … she doesn't _show_ any signs of being affected by what Otosama said …" she said. "Although I _know_ that it's because of her that Aoshi san can stay at our place …" Misao said nothing. "Misao chan?"

"Hai – I'm listening," she said, hurriedly. Kaoru stared at her, making her feel uncomfortable. She felt _a lot _worse when she saw the glint that had entered Kaoru's eyes. " … Er – Kaoru?"

"Okasan asked me to remind you how the 'good-looking burglar' is …" said Kaoru, watching her friend closely. Misao felt a blush forming on her cheeks. She mentally kicked herself. She shouldn't think of that again … Kaoru was waiting to see her reaction – to make her _own_ decision about whether she loved Aoshi or not –

_Loved_ Aoshi?

"Kaoru that was … that was a mistake," she said, smiling brightly at her friend. "I … I didn't mean to say that about him …"

"So you _admit_ that you were talking about Aoshi san then?" asked Kaoru.

"Yes – " Misao was _sure_ she was turning bright red by now. Kaoru felt a smile forming on her face as she watched Misao blush. Looking at her, Misao saw the smile, and felt more uncomfortable than ever. "Look Kaoru, whatever you say, I don't love Aoshi okay? I don't like him at all. I mean, I'm grateful that he helped me out twice already, and I'm _sure_ that he's a really nice guy and all … but I don't love him at – "

"Misao, did I even _mention_ anything about 'love?'" asked Kaoru, raising her eyebrows.

"N – No … but … you were trying to make me say that I _do_ love him …" said Misao. Kaoru did her best to keep her face serious.

"And _do_ you?" she asked.

"W – What?"

"Do you love Aoshi san?" Misao opened her mouth hurriedly. She knew what she had to say. She had to say 'no.' Kaoru would believe that … Kaoru didn't need to know the truth yet …

_Hang on … the 'truth?' Did that mean … did that mean that she – _

"Of course I don't," she said. An idea popped into Kaoru's head, causing her to struggle to keep her face straight. She had to get an answer out of Misao … and she knew _just_ how to do that.

"That t-shirt he was wearing yesterday … it was quite _nice_ wasn't it?" she asked. Misao stared at her.

"T-shirt? What t-shi …" An image of Aoshi dressed in the _tight_ black t-shirt entered her mind. Her face grew hot as she remembered thinking that t-shirts that _fitting_ and _defining_ should be _banned_ from being worn.

That 'blush' was part of the answer that Kaoru needed. She just needed the other half of it.

"Do you know that he was talking about you yesterday?" she asked, allowing herself to smile. Misao looked at her hurriedly. He had … talked about her? She bit her tongue as it was about to move – against her will – and ask _what_ he had said about her. She had a feeling that Kaoru was _waiting_ for her to ask that.

She had to outwit her friend … despite the longing inside her to ask her _what_ he had said about her.

"Oh …" she said, lamely. She saw Kaoru's smile widen and knew that she had to either change the subject now, or blurt everything out to her. "Er … how's … er … I wonder if Soujirou will come here today …" she stated, simply. Kaoru wasn't about to let her change the subject.

"He said some pretty interesting things about you …" she said. "What was it again? Ah … er … aha … now I remember …" Misao felt her curiosity increase … and dug her nails into her thigh. She WAS NOT going to fall for Kaoru's trap. "He complemented you, you know. I never thought he'd do _that_. I mean … he's never complemented _anyone_ before …" Kaoru knew, that once she got her answer from Misao, when she told her that he hadn't spoken about her at all, that she was going to be _dead meat_.

She stood up. Maybe she should just get going … "Misao chan, I'll come by later, oka – "

" … What did he say about me?" Kaoru's eyes widened as she ogled at her. She saw the patch of dark red that had spread across her cheeks, and watched as she wrung her hands in her lap. A grin spread across her own face.

"What?"

" … What … what did he say about … me?"

"MISAO! YOU LIKE HIM!!" Misao glared at her.

"Kaoru! Don't say it so loud!" she hissed. Kaoru's eyes widened – as did Misao's – as they _both_ digested what she had just said. She hadn't said 'no I don't like him' she hadn't said 'you're mad' … she had just said 'don't say it so loud …'

"You **do** like him! Misao chan! You never even told me!" screeched Kaoru, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Misao blushed. It was no use lying about it now – Kaoru had already figured it out.

"Just … just shut up …" she mumbled. Kaoru couldn't believe it.

"I don't believe this! You like him! You like Aoshi san!" she grinned. "Misao loves Aoshi sa – " She was cut off when a pillow – courtesy of Misao – hit her straight in the face. She grinned, throwing it back at her blushing friend. "Misao chan loves Aoshi san! Misao chan loves Aoshi san! Misao chan loves Aoshi san!" she chanted, dancing out of Misao's reach, and ducking as she hurled another pillow at her.

"KAORU SHUT UP!!!"

"MISAO CHAN LOVES AOSHI SAN! MISAO CHAN – "

"**KAORU!!! KUSO – WAIT TILL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!!"**

* * *

Mrs. Makimachi was in the kitchen, serving the day's lunch into dishes and placing them on a tray, to take to Misao. She was washing a ceramic dish, when she heard shouting from upstairs. She stood straight, wondering if something had happened, the previous night's events still fresh in her head.

"MISAO!!! YOU LIKE HIM!!!" She started as she heard Kaoru scream that out. Her eyebrows shot up. Had she heard her correctly? Misao … liked someone? She smiled. So much for Misao trying to act like she was not going to fall in love.

"KAORU SHUT UP!!!" She shook her head as the shouting continued, wondering if Kaoru would be in one piece by the time she went upstairs with Misao's food. As it was, Misao was sounding as though she would love to _murder_ her.

Even though she didn't poke her nose into her daughter's life … she couldn't help but wonder who Misao 'liked.' She knew, that as a mother, it was her duty to make sure that it was a decent boy, and that nothing 'out of hand' happened between them …

She shook her head. She was overreacting. High School girls had to fall in love at some point in their lives. She was just surprised that Misao hadn't done so sooner. Hearing a loud thump from upstairs, she winced. She guessed that Kaoru would have got her punishment for shouting out. Girls will be girls …

* * *

Soujirou stretched as they walked home after practice. He couldn't help it … he was tired. Kenshin smiled at the younger boy as he yawned.

"Tired, Soujirou?" he asked.

"I … guess I didn't get much sleep yesterday …" said Soujirou, sheepishly. Aoshi, as usual, said nothing. Kenshin turned his attention to him.

"Aoshi san, do you know why Kaoru san didn't come to school today?" he asked, making Soujirou smile at the touch of concern in his voice. That didn't go unnoticed to Aoshi either.

"She … said she was sick," he said.

"Oh …" said Kenshin.

"Why don't you go and see her?" suggested Soujirou.

"Oro?"

"I mean … I'm sure she's fine – but it would be nice if you went and checked up on her …" said Soujirou.

"Sou ka … let's all go then …" said Kenshin. Soujirou shook his head.

"Er … I … I need to go home …" he said hurriedly.

"Oro? You're not even going to see Misao?" asked Kenshin. Soujirou sighed.

"I think I'll go home and finish my homework and stuff …" he said. "And then visit her …" Kenshin glanced at him, surprised.

"But it'll be quite late by that time …" he said. Soujirou smiled.

"Makimachi san is quite used to me coming over at strange times," he said.

"Oro?" Kenshin noticed, somewhat surprisingly, that Aoshi was looking questioningly at Soujirou too.

"Oh, I sometimes visit Misao early in the morning – not these days, but before – or late in the night …" said Soujirou, sheepishly. "Whenever … whenever I feel lonely …" he added as an afterthought. Kenshin didn't say anything. He guessed that Soujirou felt lonely quite a lot – living all by himself.

"Sou …" he said. Aoshi turned his attention back to the road. "Aoshi san … what do you think our chances are for the tournament?" Aoshi looked surprised at his question.

" … … …" What was he _supposed_ to say? " … The Girls team is a bit … blank …" he said, finally. Kenshin nodded. He had been thinking about that too. He hadn't forgotten his _tasks_; he needed to find a girl to take part in the Under 19 section of the tournament … and in the Under 17 section of the tournament.

"Soujirou, do you know anyone in your year that would like taking part in this tournament – for the girls?" he asked, turning to him. Soujirou looked thoughtful.

"Well … they're mostly interested in basketball – or in something other than sports …" he said, honestly. "I guess … hmm … Kyoko san?" Kenshin shook his head.

"She's listed for the Under 18's …" he said. Soujirou said nothing. Who _could_ they use? "I think it would be best to find two … I don't think Misao will be able to take part …"

"Misao?" asked Soujirou, looking startled. "Who asked _her_ to take part? She … she shouldn't … not with that leg …" Kenshin nodded, darkly.

"Yes, but Saito said that she should be able to," he said. "She's listed as a part of the team in the entry forms anyway." Soujirou stopped walking.

"Demo – that's dangerous!" he said. "If Misao found out that she was listed as a part of the team, she'll _definitely_ participate – whether or not it's good for her to do that!" Kenshin nodded again.

"I know Soujirou, I know … but … our _captain_ had other ideas …" he said. Soujirou glared at the sidewalk. Saito … he _really_ knew how to make enemies for himself, didn't he?

" … Don't you think … you're being a little … unfair?" Aoshi's question surprised both of the boys.

"Oro?" asked Kenshin.

"What do you mean?" asked Soujirou, curiously. Aoshi kept his face emotionless.

"Haven't you considered the possibility that … Misao will _recover_ in time … and would _want_ to take part in the tournament?" he asked. The stares the boys were giving him obviously said that they hadn't thought of that before.

"I guess … you're right …" said Soujirou, slowly. "But – what if something happens to her again?"

" … Won't she _know_ that? That she'd be risking a lot to take part?" asked Aoshi, quietly. Soujirou sighed. He was right. Misao _could_ recover before the tournament – but would Makimachi san let her take part in it? If Misao pleaded … he guessed she would – but still …

"But Saito will want her to do the hurdles," he said. Aoshi frowned. That was true. "And we saw what happened the last time she did that. Running is okay … but hurdles …?"

"But she _did_ meet with that unfortunate accident because of the _position_ of the hurdles," cut in Kenshin. "The hurdles will be _evenly_ spaced out at the tournament …"

"True …" said Soujirou. Kenshin smiled at Aoshi.

"Misao would hug you for supporting her – if she was here," he said. Aoshi stared at him, mentally berating the red head as a picture of the cheerful … _bouncy_ girl, throwing her arms around him in a hug, flashed across his head. _Why_ did he have to say that? He turned back to the road.

First it was Misao in a fighting costume … now it was her hugging him. Great. He could _imagine_ what it would be next.

His ice blue eyes widened slightly. Had he just … _thought_ … what he _thought_ he _thought_? He resisted the urge to moan and whack himself on the head. **What** was **wrong** with him?

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence; ****8:00 pm****:**

"Kashiwazaki Resi – Soujirou! Come in, come in," said Mrs. Makimachi, opening the door to find the black haired boy standing outside, looking slightly sheepish, and carrying a small back with him.

"I'm sorry for coming so late … should I – "

"**Soujirou**."

"Hai?"

"Come in," said Mrs. Makimachi, stepping aside to allow him to enter. He did that, removing his sneakers by the door. "Have you had dinner?" Soujirou shook his head.

"Iie …" he said. He saw her smile. "Oh – you don't need to prepare some for me – really, it's fine – " Mrs. Makimachi shook her head.

"I _always_ prepare extra …" she said, smiling at him. "Have you finished your homework, or are you coming straight from a class?"

"I did my homework, Makimachi san," he said, smiling. "Although I didn't finish _yesterday's_ set of work …"

"Soujirou – "

"I did, I did! I finished it this morning," he said, hurriedly, as he saw Makimachi Rika open her mouth, ready to start lecturing him. Ever since he had befriended Misao, her mother had been like that; always asking him how he was doing, whether he had a stocked fridge, whether he needed any help in anything … whether he wanted to spend the night with them …

He swallowed. She was treating him like part of the family – almost. In fact, there were times, after his _guardian_ had died when he was just 13, when he had spent a few nights at the Kashiwazaki residence. It was _much_ better than living alone …

"Hmm … the room is always ready," said Mrs. Makimachi, looking at him. "All that's left is for you to bring a few clothes and things, and stay …" He shook his head.

"Iie … there's no point in having that house if I don't live in it, is there?" he asked. Makimachi Rika ruffled his black hair, fondly.

"Hai, hai … but you _do_ know that you're always welcome here, don't you?" she asked. Soujirou nodded, feeling a lump rise in his throat.

" … Hai …" he said, somewhat hoarsely.

"Good. Now, I believe Misao's upstairs – bored to _death_," said Mrs. Makimachi. "I'm not lying. She wanted to know if I could get her some stones, for her to throw out of the window, aiming at the next door neighbor's _cat_." Soujirou laughed.

"I can _imagine_ how bored she must be," he said.

"Yes … well, go ahead, I'll serve dinner …" said Mrs. Makimachi. Smiling at her, he walked towards the stairs.

Misao twirled a strand of her long hair, thoughtfully. After Kaoru had gotten over the initial shock of her _admitting_ that she liked … Aoshi … she had started telling her ways to get his attention, and how to 'take thing's easy' and not to 'force' things. She remembered having thrown another pillow at her, telling her that she had no 'future plans' or anything about him.

This had caused Kaoru to start lecturing her to 'stop thinking for the moment and think for the future for a change' because apparently 'there might come a time when Aoshi decided to marry her.'

That was where she had stopped her friend, asking her if she was thinking of _Kenshin_ in the same way – as a future husband – to which the girl had no answer, except a blush and a glare. Honestly, at this age, thinking of _marriage_ … what was _wrong_ with Kaoru?

"Am I disturbing anything?"

"Sou!" Misao beamed at _him_, telling him he could enter. Smiling at her, he walked inside the room, plopping himself on the ground with his bag, leaning against the wall that had her windows in it. He had always liked sitting there. "How was school? Where's Yahiko? I didn't see him _at all_! And Kenshin?" Soujirou smiled.

"Yahiko's probably lazily sprawled on his bed, snoring," he said. "And Kenshin said he'd come tomorrow, saying he was tired."

"Tired – oh, how was it?" asked Misao. "The practice, I mean." Soujirou sighed.

"It wasn't _bad_ …" he said.

"Really?" asked Misao. "And … what about the day before? When … when he made _that_ comment?" Soujirou grinned sheepishly, knowing what she was referring to.

"Who … who told you?" he asked.

"Kaoru," said Misao. "And don't ask me how Kaoru got to know. I'm not telling you." She glared at him. "If I had been there – mou … I would have … I would have given him a good kick up his – "

"Right," said Soujirou, interrupting her before she could finish. He stretched one of his legs out and rested his elbow on the knee of the other leg that was raised. "How's your leg by the way?" Misao grinned sheepishly.

"It's … okay I guess," she said.

"You _guess_?"

"Well … I kind of tried to do something stupid and moved it – but it's okay," she said.

"Misao! What did you try and do?" asked Soujirou. Misao scratched her head.

"I tried to … er – walk …" she said, not willing to blurt out Kaoru's situation. Not that she didn't trust him – she could trust him with her life – but she didn't think Kaoru would appreciate it if she told someone else about her 'family' problems.

Soujirou shook his head. "Don't do that again Misao … I mean … you won't heal soon then," he said. Misao nodded vigorously.

"I know! I _must_ get better before the tournament," she said, eagerly. "When are the trials anyway?" She paused. "And did you get the entry forms?"

"The trials are two weeks away …" said Soujirou. Misao's face fell. Two weeks … that was … quite close. Would her leg heal by then? "And yes, Kenshin and Saito signed the entry forms." Misao's eyes narrowed.

"Saito?" she grumbled. Soujirou nodded.

"Yep," he said. "And … Saito put you down for the girls' events – Under 17 of course."

"Heh … don't worry, I'll get better before that," she said. "But … what about the trials? What if I'm not fit for them?" Soujirou shook his head.

"I don't think it will be a problem if you're not fit for them …" he said. "In any case, you need to recover soon – which means no more doing any _stupid_ things, which include throwing stones at _cats_."

"Heh … Kachan told you that?" asked Misao. Soujirou nodded. "Well I'm bored! At least _you_ go to school! I have to stay on this bed _all_ the freaking time!" Soujirou smiled, patting the black bag he had brought with him. "Eh? Oh!" Misao smiled again. "You're staying the night?" Soujirou shook his head.

"Iie … not today," he said, seeing her smile disappear. "But I _did_ bring you some schoolwork …" Misao's eyes widened.

"What?"

"I thought you'd be bored, so I got you the books we had to get out of the library for literature, and the other stuff we've been doing in class," said Soujirou. Misao groaned.

"SOUJIROU! That's not what I meant when I said that I was bored!" she groaned aloud. Soujirou grinned.

"Anything is better than nothing, is it not?" he asked, ducking as a pillow was hurled at him. He picked it up. "Now, now, Misao … you shouldn't use up your energy like that …" he said, mockingly. Misao glared at him.

"Sano came by … and said that he wasn't going for practice," she said. Soujirou nodded.

"Yahiko didn't come either," he said. "_Saito_ asked Sano not to come for a week, but asked Yahiko not to come at all." Misao scowled.

"Darn him …"

"Hmm … But Kenshin said that he's included Sano and Yahiko in the entry forms …" said Soujirou. "For the Under 18's and the Under 17's …"

"What're you doing for the Under 17's?" asked Misao.

"The mixed relay, _probably_ the hurdles – those application forms haven't come in yet – the 100 meter, 2 into 100 meter, and 4 into 100 meter races …" he said. Misao grinned.

"But of course … who else would be perfect for those events," she said. "You _do_ have backup, don't you? I mean, I know you're fast … but you are also _human_ …"

"Really? I … didn't know that." Soujirou ducked again, as a rather heavy hard back book was hurled at him. "Misao, didn't I tell you to be careful? I mean … although all of us aren't as _fragile_ as you are … we _are_ prone to injuries …" he said, as seriously as he could.

"Oh _shut up_," grumbled Misao, good-naturedly. "Oh, did I tell you that Otosan came over?" Soujirou's mouth dropped open.

"W – WHAT?!" Misao winced as he yelled. "Sorry … what did he say?"

"The usual …" said Misao, sighing heavily. "That if I was staying with _him_, I wouldn't have done this to myself … that Kachan can't take care of me well … that it's all Kachan's fault – " She stopped, taking a deep breath. "It's not fair, you know … I mean Kachan takes _really_ good care of me …" She stared at Soujirou, her blue eyes dull. "Just last night, she couldn't get any sleep because my leg was _killing_ me … and she stayed by me all the time." She broke off.

Soujirou didn't say anything, knowing that she had to let it all out of her system. He, instead, waited until she was ready to continue.

"And – and … I _know_ that whatever happens, they're both my parents, and that I love them dearly …" she said. "But it's not fair! If _anything_ happens to me when I'm with Kachan, it's her fault. And no one _bothers_ to tell Otosan that it's _my_ fault, not his _or_ Kachan's …" She took a deep breath. "I'm … I'm sorry … I shouldn't bore you will this …" Soujirou shook his head.

"Misao, you know you can tell me," he said, gently. "You always _have_ been telling me …" Misao smiled weakly.

"You know what I sometimes wonder?" she asked. Soujirou shook his head. "I wonder what _good deed_ I must've done to get a good friend like you." It took a few seconds for Soujirou to realize that she had complimented him. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly – something he _always_ did when he was embarrassed.

"Eeto … I don't think it's _that_ big a deal …" he said. Misao grinned. That was Soujirou – always trying to put _himself_ down whenever possible. Her mother's entry into the room caught both of their attention. Mrs. Makimachi was walking inside, balancing two trays of food in her hands. Soujirou stood up at once. "Makimachi san! You should have called m – "

Mrs. Makimachi pushed him away gently. "I _do_ work at a restaurant, Soujirou. I _can_ balance two trays in my hands …" she said.

"But – " he sighed. He could see where Misao got her stubbornness from. "Hai, hai." He sat back down. Mrs. Makimachi placed one tray on Misao's bed, whilst placing the other one beside Soujirou. "Arigato, Makimachi san," he said, inhaling the enticing aroma of the food. Mrs. Makimachi shook her head, smiling.

"Arigato Kachan!"

"Well, I won't keep you from your conversation," she said. "Soujirou, just make sure that Misao takes these tablets once she's finished eating, okay?" She placed the three tablets on the bedside table. Soujirou nodded.

"Hai," he said. Smiling at them, Mrs. Makimachi walked out of the room.

"Well, I don't know about you, Sou, but I'm hungry! Itadakimasu!" said Misao, before diving into her food. Metaphorically. Shaking his head, he turned to his own food.

"Itadakimasu," he said, before helping himself.

* * *

"Is Soujirou here?" asked Okina, as he walked down the corridor and spotted the white and blue sneakers. His daughter ran to greet him.

"Otosan! How was work?" she asked. Okina smiled at her.

"Exciting as usual," he said. "Is Soujirou here?" Rika nodded.

"Hai, I just gave him and Misao their dinner," she said.

"Ah … speaking of dinner – I'm hungry …" said Okina, the aroma of food reaching his nose. Rika laughed.

"Come this way then," she said, walking towards the kitchen where she had been heating the food, awaiting her father's return.

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

Kaoru smiled to herself as she remembered Misao's 'confession.' Try as she might, she couldn't get the smile off her face; Misao, her good friend … liked Aoshi. And to make things better, Aoshi lived opposite her room. What did that mean? That meant she was in the best position to set the two of them up – without making it obvious.

Misao had nearly killed her when she had started 'lecturing' her. She smiled. She still couldn't believe it. She frowned suddenly. She had decided, after getting back from Misao's house a few hours ago, that she had to take action – immediately.

But how? She went through the mental list of things she had decided that she _could _do. One of the things she had thought about doing was to get Misao to come over, and somehow – _somehow – _make her catch a glimpse of Aoshi – shirtless or something. She had thought that sounded good, until she had realized that there was no way she could get Aoshi to be shirtless when Misao came over and that Misao wasn't in a position to _come _over in the first place.

Her other thought had been to send Aoshi to Misao's place – on pretence of giving something to her, or getting something for her. Aoshi didn't know for sure whether _she _was sick or not, so she could ask him to do that, because she was sick and didn't want to go over to Misao's and make her get sick as well.

She looked up as she heard knocking on her door. "Come in!" she called. Her mother entered.

"Kaoru, Hisashi said that he'll be getting late today," said Mrs. Kamiya. "Let's have dinner …" Kaoru glanced at the clock. It was 8:15. This was just great. She could get Aoshi to – but first, she needed to tell her mother.

"Okasan, guess what?" she said, grinning. Mrs. Kamiya stared at her daughter.

"Er … something good happened?" she asked.

"Yes! Misao admitted it!" said Kaoru. Her mother's eyes widened. "She said she _did_ like him!"

"M – Misao said that?" asked Mrs. Kamiya. Kaoru nodded, grinning. She looked behind her to see Aoshi's closed door.

"Unbelievable isn't it?" asked Kaoru. She nodded.

"Y – Yes …" she said, beginning to smile. "I thought she wasn't being serious – " She stopped as Aoshi opened his door, having being called for dinner too. "Aoshi … good, we can have dinner together then."

"Ah, Aoshi san …" said Kaoru, deciding that it was now or never. Aoshi turned to her. "Can you do me a favour?" Aoshi was on guard the _moment_ she said that. He remembered her earlier 'request.' Mrs. Kamiya stared questioningly at her daughter.

" … … …" He chose to wait and hear her out before refusing.

"I – I would love to go and give this to Misao chan, but with this sore throat and cold …" said Kaoru, as hoarsely as she could. "I don't want to go and … give it to her … she has enough to worry about as it is …" Her mother was almost gaping at her as she acted 'sick.'

Aoshi frowned. She really _was_ sick then … he had thought it was just and excuse to stay at home …

"Kaoru – " started Mrs. Kamiya.

"We … had to read this book for literature – I forgot to tell her this yesterday," interrupted Kaoru, smiling as she saw her literature book on the table. " … Could – could you please go and give this to her?" Aoshi stared at her. She didn't _look_ sick, but she did sound it. He sighed inwardly. Why was it always him? And what had happened to his strong resolve about not doing what other people wanted him to do?

Mrs. Kamiya understood what her daughter was trying to do. She couldn't help but smile slightly – before she turned serious.

"Kaoru, Aoshi needs to have dinner," she said. Kaoru's face fell. She had hoped her mother wouldn't interrupt. Aoshi saw her face fall, and, kicking himself mentally, shook his head.

"Iie … I'll give it and come," he said. Mrs. Kamiya stared in disbelief at him _and_ her daughter.

"Arigato … Aoshi san …" said Kaoru, beaming at him, although she was cackling inside. She handed him the book they were doing; Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet.' Misao already _had_ that book – they had been working on it since the beginning of the year … but he didn't need to know that.

" … … …" was all Aoshi said as he took the book and turned around.

"Ah – Aoshi san? Tell her … I told her to … picture herself as … 'Juliet' … and a 'partner' as Romeo" said Kaoru, grinning. "S – Sensei told us to do that, and it helps …" Looking strangely at her, Aoshi nodded before walking away. Mrs. Kamiya turned back to her daughter.

"Misao's going to _kill_ you for that," she said.

"I know," said Kaoru, grinning.

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

Aoshi walked up the stairs, heading towards the room he had gone to yesterday – Misao's room. The door, as usual, was opened. He stood at the doorway, looking inside. Misao was seated on the bed, laughing. There was a tray of food on her lap and – he stopped as he heard the male voice. Looking closely, he saw Soujirou seated on the ground, a tray of food on the floor next to him. He was smiling as he spoke to her.

He cleared his throat softly, unable to think of any other way to get their attention. Soujirou turned to the door, and smiled as he saw him. Misao, on the other hand, found her face growing slightly warm.

"A – Aoshi … " she said. He nodded, walking up to the bed.

" … How's … your leg?" he asked, thinking it impolite to hand the book over right away. Misao glanced at her leg, as though remembering only then that there was something wrong with it.

"Oh – it's … er … its okay …" she said. Soujirou grinned.

"And we believe you, don't we, Aoshi?" he asked, teasingly. Misao threw the remaining pillow she had on her bed at him. "I told you twice already, Misao, _fragile_ things like you shouldn't waste your energy like that." He chuckled as he saw the glares she was sending his way.

Aoshi watched the two banter. He was somewhat surprised to feel … rather _strange_ as he watched them. His mind was no help, whirling with questions.

_What was Soujirou doing in her room at this time of the night_? _Did Mrs. Makimachi even know he was there?_ Ah, there're two trays of food … she must know that he's there …

_And … who was Soujirou to Misao … anyway?_ That was easy; he was her best friend. He had said so when they were walking home.

He growled inwardly. Shouldn't his mind be asking him; _why are you so concerned in the first place_? He held out the book Kaoru had given him. Misao stared at it, startled.

" … Kaoru san … she asked me to give this to you," he said. "She said she was too sick to come over."

"Sick? Is she alright?" asked Misao, rather surprised. Kaoru hadn't _looked_ sick before … And … why was she giving her a copy of 'Romeo and Juliet'? Her eyes widened. Unless …

" … … …" Aoshi shrugged. " … She asked you to imagine that you're Juliet … and your 'partner' – " Here, he glanced at Soujirou. " – is Romeo." Misao turned bright red – out of embarrassment or anger she didn't know. What she _did_ know, was that she wasn't going to let Kaoru live to see another day.

"I – er … yes … th – thanks …" she stammered, smiling, despite her blush. Aoshi stared at her, thoughtfully, as she turned red. He still couldn't tell whether she turned red because she was embarrassed, or whether it was because she had fever or something.

"Is that 'Romeo and Juliet'?" asked Soujirou, surprised. Misao nodded. "But … you already have it, don't you, Misao? We got it at the beginning of the term …" Misao nodded again, unable to tell Soujirou to stop because he was probably going to get Kaoru in trouble. Aoshi shrugged.

" … … …" Nodding at Soujirou and Misao, he turned to walk away. Misao said it before thinking.

"Wait!" Aoshi stopped and turned to look at her, Soujirou doing the same. She blushed. "Er … would you – would you like to stay for dinner?" Aoshi raised his eyebrows slightly at the request. "I – I mean – if you'd like to – no one's forcing you to – " stammered Misao. He shook his head slowly. Misao's shoulders slumped. "Hai – I understand. I shouldn't have asked – I'm sorry – "

A small – very _small_ – smile formed on Aoshi's lips as he watched the flustered girl stammer. She was … different … to the other girls – especially to the ones that followed his every move. She was more of a … intriguing person, with her bursts of temper, sudden flustering and liveliness.

"Thanks for the offer …" he said, walking to the door, before stopping again – on his own accord. " … Good night …"

" – Good night!" squeaked Misao, watching him walk away, before burying her face in her hands. Soujirou scratched his head as he watched her. Now _he_ was confused.

What was _that_ all about?

* * *

**A/N**

Heh … perhaps that was a bit too rushed … but my hands and neck are _killing_ me. I'm sorry! Next chapter will be longer – I promise! Heh … Misao's 'intriguing' now, is she???

I hope you liked that!

See ya very soon!

Siriusgirl1


	12. Return

**A/N**

Chapter eleven is here! Heh … I included a part about our _dear_ 'captain' which I hope to develop later on … and would _really_ like your opinion on whether I _should_ develop it or not.

I would like to say a BIG thank you to ALL of you that have reviewed this story! A 101 reviews … I didn't think I'd get this far. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

**Kitsune Kenshin: **Heh … it started working? Thanks anyway for the review _and_ the mail! Hmm … I wouldn't say this is _longer_ … then again, I included a few 'serious' parts here (involving Sano, Yahiko and … you'll see) I kind of wanted to develop the characters a bit more here … hmm … I hope this is okay. Thanks once more, and I hope you like this!

**Jade eyed neko: **Yes, I agree … Kaoru _should_ take up match-making … but someone else should do that first and get her and Kenshin together, don't you think? Heheh … And about Sano and Megumi – there's a bit of character development in this one! Thank _you_ for reviewing, and I hope you like this! (oh, and remember your requests? There _is_ Tokio in this! And – wait, I shouldn't tell you …)

**Oniwabanshu: **You do? Thank you! (heh, I guess my hoping _did_ come true then!) Heh, and poor Soujirou's gone and got _himself_ all confused! Then again, hanging out with a group of people like Misao, Yahiko, Kaoru and Sano – I guess that can do that to a person. (heh, excuse me while I avoid all the kunai, bamboo swords/reversed edged swords and punches being thrown at me!) Hmm … you have a feeling about the outcome? Is there any chance you'll tell me? Heh … we shall have to see, won't we? Thanks once again … and enjoy!

**Leila Jenkens: **Thanks! I hope you like this one, and I will keep on updating like this!

**Kakashi fan: **Thank you! I hope you like this too!

**HitokikiSky: **Hehehe … I know, I am raging war with myself, saying I shouldn't make them so mean, but … I had to. Oh well … thanks for the review … and enjoy this too – hopefully!

Here it is, Chapter eleven! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Return**

****

****

****

She laughed as her friend imitated their History teacher, and the way he had gotten angry when the projects he had asked for hadn't been given in on time. Her friend _really_ was good at imitating people.

"Ano … Fujita san?" She looked around at once, and smiled when she saw who it was.

"Himura kun," she said. "Ohayo." He smiled back at her.

"Ohayo," he said. "Er … Fujita san, I would like to ask you something – if you are not busy or anything …" Fujita Tokio shook her head, curiously.

"Iie … I'm not busy," she said. Kenshin smiled in relief.

"The Inter-School Athletics tournament is coming up – you know that don't you?" he asked. Tokio nodded. "Well … see – we _really_ want to win this tournament this time," continued Kenshin. "And … yeah … to do that, we need to have a really good athletics team …"

"H … Hai …" said Tokio, having a feeling she knew where this was going.

"We _do_ have a really good athletics team," said Kenshin. "It's just … for the Girls' team, we're lacking two runners …" Tokio smiled. "And … I was wondering if you'd like to take part for the Under 19 girls' category …" finished Kenshin in a rush, bowing his head slightly. Tokio stared at him for a second. He wanted her to … join the team …

She didn't have anything against sports – no, she had been in the basketball team for the past two years, before stopping. She wouldn't mind doing a sport again … _plus_, the way Himura asked her … how _could_ she refuse?

" … Just for the tournament?" she asked. Kenshin nodded.

"Hai," he said, looking somewhat _anxiously_ at her.

"For what events?"

"Oh, the 100 meter, 2 into 100 meter and 4 into 100 meter races … and the mixed relays – and probably the hurdles …" Kenshin stopped. It was no use. How was he supposed to expect people to agree to join the team a few weeks before the tournament?

" … Okay, I'll do it," she said. Kenshin stared at her for a few minutes, before a _huge_ smile formed on his face.

"Really?" he asked. Tokio nodded, amused at the 'glee' on his face. "Arigato, Fujita san!" said Kenshin, looking as though he could hug her. Tokio shook her head smiling.

"What time are the practices?" she asked.

"1:40 to 4:30," said Kenshin. "Although we sometimes go on for longer if we feel like it – if _all _of us feel like it, that is."

"Hmm … I won't be able to come today though," said Tokio.

"Oh …"

"I have a music class … can I start from tomorrow?" she asked. Kenshin nodded hurriedly.

"Of course! Thanks again Fujita san … you're a life saver," he said. Tokio smiled. "Well, I'll see you around. Thanks again!" Beaming at her, he walked away.

"Oy, oy … are you _sure_ about that?" asked her friend, who had listened to the whole thing.

"Yeah … I mean nothing _bad_ can possibly happen right?" asked Tokio. Yukiko stared at her for a moment.

"I heard that the captain is a pretty _nasty_ guy …" she said. Tokio laughed.

"_Any_ person is _nasty_ for you, Yukiko – especially if you think they're not good-looking," she said. Yukiko shook her head.

"No, seriously, he's supposed to be really mean – getting people into trouble _purposely_ and stuff," she said.

"Oh _come on_ Yu, no one can be _that_ bad," said Tokio, shaking her head. Yukiko said nothing.

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

****

Yahiko nudged Soujirou as they walked into their class, and nodded at something in the class. Soujirou smiled as he saw Kaoru seated at her desk. She was back.

"Kaoru sa – " he stopped when he saw her face. He now understood why Yahiko had nudged him. Kaoru's _usually_ calm and somewhat serious face … was now … stretched into a _wide_ grin. And when he meant _wide_, he _meant_ **wide_._** It resembled the 'grins' that were usually found on the faces of 'bad guys' plotting to get people into trouble.

If he hadn't known her better, he would have thought that she had been spending _too much_ time with Saito. He shook his head. She didn't even talk to him in the first place.

He and Yahiko walked up to their desks, putting their bags down, before turning around to face Kaoru.

"Er … Kaoru?" There was no answer.

"Kaoru?" Still no answer. Yahiko grinned. He knew what to do. "KENSHIN!!!" Kaoru jumped, slightly startled, and looked up hurriedly. She was _sure_ someone had shouted 'Kenshin.' But he wasn't there …

Hearing snorting, her eyes narrowed as she saw Yahiko shaking his head, amused. She glared at him. "Very funny Yahiko … _very_ funny …" she grumbled.

"Why weren't you in school?" asked Yahiko.

"Oh … I – I was sick," said Kaoru, grinning again. Soujirou stared at her, slightly confused. Why was everyone he knew acting rather _strange_ these days? No, not strange … they were acting … _out of character_. First it was Kenshin – he had noticed the cold aura that surrounded him when he spoke to Saito yesterday during practice. Then it was Misao – last night, when Aoshi had appeared … and now it was Kaoru, looking as though her worst enemy died, and she was _glad_ about it.

He shook his head. Either it was _them_ … or it was him.

"What are you grinning like that for?" asked Yahiko, directly. Soujirou nodded; he wanted to know that too. Kaoru's grin widened – if it was possible – as she set her gaze on Soujirou.

"A – Ano … Kaoru?" stammered Soujirou, slightly unnerved by her gaze.

"Heh …" laughed Kaoru, remembering what she had been asked at dinner last night. About Misao and Soujirou. By Aoshi. She sighed in contentment. She had never thought, in her _wildest_ dreams, that Aoshi would have asked her something like that.

What had he asked her? Oh, it was quite simple. He had asked her if Misao and Soujirou were going out or something. She had choked on her food and gulped down what seemed like a gallon of water before answering him; '_No, they are not going out. They're just really good friends_.' He had looked like he hadn't believed her.

And when she had asked him _why_ he had asked her that, he had shrugged and averted his gaze … before saying that Soujirou had been at her house.

She remembered thinking that Soujirou would be the key in getting Aoshi and Misao together; by first making Aoshi jealous … and then … She closed her eyes, conjuring up an image of Misao and Aoshi holding hands in her mind. Ahh … if only that would happen _soon_.

"Forget it, she's lost it," said Yahiko, shaking his head. Soujirou nodded.

"I guess she has … " he said.

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

****

Misao looked anxiously at the doctor … waiting to hear his 'report' on her leg. Dr. Kobayashi smiled as he finished looking at her ankle and caught sight of the expression on her face. He turned to her mother.

"Well … I must say I am pleased with the knee …" he said. Mrs. Makimachi nodded, seeing her daughter's eyes widen in hope. "Her knee _is_ still fractured, and she still needs to rest …" he continued, looking at Misao in time to see her shoulders slump. "But I think it's time to get her to walk around a little …"

"YES!" exclaimed Misao. Her mother shook her head at her enthusiasm.

"BUT, young lady, when I said 'walk' I mean walk _slowly_, with someone else's _help_," said the doctor, warningly. "Your knee needs to heal, but so does your ankle. If you keep on lying in bed all day, because of your knee, your ankle won't get better," he stopped. "And once your knee gets better, your ankle will take sometime to heal."

"Eh?" asked Misao, not really understanding what he was saying. Dr. Kobayashi smiled.

"What I am trying to say, Misao, is that you need to use your ankle as well, because your ankles hold _all_ your body weight when you walk. You _can_ stay in bed all the time – for your knee to heal – but even when that happens, you'll have to wait for longer until your _ankle_ gets used to carrying your body weight again," he said. "That is why it is better to move around _little by little_ for now, and then rest _as well_, so that when your knee heals, you will be ready to walk without having to wait …"

"She won't stop at walking though," said Mrs. Makimachi. "She'll move straight to running, and then try walking without getting anyone's help." Misao glared at her mother.

"No Misao, if you try running, it will take _longer_ to heal," said the doctor. "And you don't want to be stuck in bed for longer than you _have_ to, do you?" Misao shook her head hurriedly. "Good … I'll give you some more painkillers … and don't try _getting off_ the bed like the day before yesterday." Misao glared at her mother again. "Yes, your mother _told_ me what you attempted," said the doctor. "And I don't want anymore of that, okay?" Misao nodded meekly.

"Hai …" she said.

"Good," said Dr. Kobayashi. "I don't think she'll need crutches _yet_ …" he said, to her mother. "I don't want her to use them – she'll start depending on them for one thing." He smiled again. "And will probably kill people with them for _another_ thing." Misao grinned. He knew her too well.

"Is there any other medicine that she needs to take?" asked Mrs. Makimachi. He shook his head, standing up.

"Well … I'll come by next week," he said. "I'll see you then." Smiling at Misao, he walked out of the room, with Mrs. Makimachi following him. Misao grinned. She could walk … she could finally walk around a little! She knew it would hurt like hell … but at least it was something!

And maybe next week she could go back to school. She really missed that place – although she hadn't touched the bag Soujirou had brought with him yesterday. She couldn't even remember Soujirou leaving last night … she just remembered waking up this morning, to find him gone. Her mother said that he had waited until she had fallen asleep and had then gone home.

And then … Misao shivered slightly. And then there was Aoshi … She groaned as she remembered how she had gotten all flustered when she had asked him to stay for dinner. She couldn't believe she had actually asked him that.

And of course, there was Kaoru and her _stupid_ 'lit book.' She grinned. Kaoru would need that book for literature today … and she didn't have it with her. That was her punishment for doing something as stupid as asking Aoshi to come over and give it to her. Not that she minded Aoshi coming over, of course. And she _was_ obviously going to kill Kaoru for doing that in the first place.

* * *

**Mitsurugi ****High School****:**

****

When the bell signaling the morning break had rung, Aoshi had packed his things into his bag, and stood up, ready to find a more _peaceful_ place to have his food. He had made it to the classroom door, when Kenshin had stopped him and had managed to get him to join him for break. When Kenshin had meant 'join me' Aoshi guessed he should have known that he had _also_ meant 'and my friends.'

But _no_, he hadn't _thought_ of that, and had followed Kenshin to the hall … when he realized his mistake. By then, it was too late to do anything. He was caught – nicely at that too – and found himself seated next to Kaoru, staring angrily at Sano and Yahiko who were seated opposite him, and coldly at Soujirou.

That was another reason why he was angry with himself – which he found he was doing quite often. He didn't know _why_ but he was … acting cold towards Soujirou. After the first five minutes of the break had passed, he dismissed the idea. He was 'cold' to _everyone_. That was normal for him.

Until he had realized that he talked 'quite well' to Kaoru when she asked him something and equally well to Sano and Yahiko … and Kenshin (although he replied rather distantly to Megumi, not liking the looks she was sending his way) … But whenever Soujirou asked him something, he took a _long_ time to answer him, and when he did, it was a rather abrupt and cold answer.

The inquiring glance Kaoru kept on giving him every now and then did nothing to help him. Neither did the thought that _he_ had thought that Makimachi Misao was _intriguing_. He hadn't managed to get _any_ sleep last night, wondering _why_ he had thought she was _intriguing_ and _why_ he was _wondering_ why he had thought that way.

" – my homework again!" He tuned in on the conversation going on around the table, and focused enough to see Sano staring pleadingly at Megumi.

"Aw … come _on_ Kitsune, you know – " He stopped when he was whacked on the head _yet again_. " – that I _really_ depend on your homework! Please? Pretty please????"

"No," said Megumi, stonily. "No, no, no, no, no!" Megumi, it appeared, wasn't about to give in.

"Please???? I'll do _anything_ you ask me to! I'll clean your desk … I'll carry your bag for you … please????" And Sano, it appeared, wasn't about to _give up_. Kenshin shook his head as he saw people turn around to stare at their table. Yahiko, Soujirou and Kaoru were looking pretty embarrassed.

"Oy! Go somewhere else and do this you two," hissed Yahiko. "You're embarrassing us!"

"Nani?" grumbled Sano and Megumi at the same time.

"_We're_ embarrassing you?" asked Sano, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't you mean _you're_ embarrassing us?" queried Megumi.

"Exactly," said Sano. "Please, Kitsune? We even agree on _something_! PLEASE????" Megumi sighed. When he looked at her with those 'puppy dog' eyes … and looked _so_ innocent … how _could_ anyone _human_ refuse?

"**Fine**," she said. "But this is the **last** time!" Sano grinned. He had known she wouldn't refuse for long.

"Heh! As you wish!" he said, thinking it was wise to make a 'wise-ass' comment _after_ she gave him her exercise book. Aoshi shook his head. He was asking himself – for the millionth time – _why_ he had transferred here.

_Ah yes … because his father was dead and there was no one to look after him_.

"Ano …" Kaoru looked up and saw the rather tall, slender, brown haired girl stand by their table. Kenshin smiled at her.

"Fujita san – is something wrong?" he asked. Tokio shook her head, smiling.

"Iie … Nakamura sensei just wants to see Sanosuke and Yahiko," she said. The two boys looked up at once.

"W – What?" asked Yahiko.

"Why?" asked Sano. Tokio smiled wryly.

"I _would_ have told you – but I don't know why," she said. The two friends exchanged glances. They were quite _sure_ they hadn't –

"Saito." Tokio glanced at Yahiko, who was glowering at his sandwich.

"Hn?"

"Isn't it obvious? He has something to do with this," he said. Kenshin said nothing. He was _quite_ sure that Yahiko was right … but didn't want to jump to conclusions. Sano shrugged, standing up.

"We might as well go and find out …" he said, turning to Yahiko. "Come on." Yahiko followed him out of the hall. Kaoru stared after them, somewhat worried. She had a _bad_ feeling about this …

Aoshi, on the other hand, was putting two and two together. He knew that Nakamura sensei was the Head of the Sports department. He also knew that Saito had _something_ to do with it … and his mind chose that moment to replay what Saito had asked Kenshin during practice yesterday – about _where_ the 'chicken brain' and 'brat' were … and why they hadn't come for practice.

He had a feeling he knew what _had_ happened and what was _going to_ happen … but didn't say anything to anyone.

* * *

Nakamura sensei looked up as he saw the two boys approach him. His usually pleasant face was somewhat harsh. The two boys stood in front of him, bowing slightly.

"Let's get straight to business," he said, staring at them. "Do you know why I called you here?"

"No, sir …" said Yahiko. Sano shook his head as well.

"Fine, let me tell you – or rather, ask you," said Nakamura sensei. "Why weren't you at athletics practice yesterday?" Sano and Yahiko looked surprised at the question and didn't answer for a few minutes. "Well?"

"Because … we were told not to come …" said Yahiko, honestly. Nakamura sensei raised his eyebrows.

"Oh? And _who_ told you not to come?" he asked.

" … Saito … san," said Yahiko, adding the 'san' to the captain's name out of instinct. Nakamura sensei fixed him with a piercing gaze before turning to Sano.

"And you?" he asked.

"He asked me not to come for a week either," said Sano. "So I didn't go yesterday."

"Are you trying to tell me that … a _captain_ asks two of his good runners _not_ to come for practice?" asked Nakamura sensei. Yahiko and Sano exchanged glances again.

"Well … he told me not to come for practice at all," said Yahiko. "But told Sano to take a week off." Nakamura sensei glared at them.

"When Saito told me about this, I didn't believe him," he said. "But now …" He took a deep breath. "I am thoroughly disappointed in you two boys … I thought you were better than this."

"W – what do you mean?" asked Sano, not liking what was going on.

"What do _I_ mean? You don't turn up for practice, with the biggest tournament for the athletics team coming up, and blame it on an innocent captain who's trying his best to ensure that you win?!" asked Nakamura sensei.

"Innocent captain?" snorted Sano. "I think you've got the _vice-captain_ and the _captain_ mixed up sensei."

"No, Sagara, I haven't. And I was _also_ told how you tried to start a fight the other day … with your _captain_ …" Yahiko's mouth dropped open. There was only one person that could have told him that …

"Sano had every right to do that sensei," he said. "Saito said stuff about Soujirou's parents." Nakamura sensei turned to glare at _him_.

"You're joining this _too_, Myoujin?" he asked. He sighed. "I never thought that the _athletics_ team would start giving us problems …" He shook his head. "No matter, you two have a detention this week – tomorrow, I believe … and I expect you to _turn _up for it."

"Detention?!" exclaimed Sano. "What_ever_ for?!"

"For missing practice … _and_ for trying to start fighting," said Nakamura sensei. "I can make it _two_ detentions each if you'd like …" Yahiko stomped on Sano's foot as he started opening his mouth – no doubt to say something. Nakamura sensei nodded approvingly at Yahiko. "It seems like you've got yourself a sensible friend, Sagara …" He glanced at his wristwatch, seeing that it was close to the end of break. "I expect you two to be at practice today … and be warned; Saito is your _captain_, so you _have to_ listen to _him_. Now go to your classes."

Sano didn't budge. Yahiko, on the other hand, bowed slightly to Nakamura sensei before turning around and dragging Sano with him, just as the bell rang, signaling the end of the break.

* * *

**Not SO far away:**

****

"Uncle! Uncle! Over here!" cried the six year old brown haired girl, tugging at the hand of the tall man she was holding on to.

"Iie! Over here!" cried her sister, a four year old brown haired girl, tugging at the _other_ hand of the tall man.

"Now, now girls … why don't we just _calm down_ a little?" asked the man, refusing to budge. The two girls tugged hard at his hands, trying to pull him in two different directions. He stood where he was, well aware that people all around them were giving him _strange_ looks. He growled inwardly. Of all the things to happen to him … it _had_ to be … _them_. He glowered at the two girls who were still, innocently trying to make him move.

Of _all_ the _people_ to pass away … it _had_ to be his _cousin_ … and of all the things she could have asked him to do, it _had_ to be to look after her children; Gensai Suzume and Ayame.

"No! It's _this_ way, neechan!" exclaimed the four year old brown haired girl.

"No, no, no! It's this way!" exclaimed her sister. The man resisted the urge to let out a big, loud _roar_ of exhaustion mixed together with frustration. Why was he exhausted? Traveling for a day with two children – as hyperactive as these two were – was quite enough to make him exhausted. That and the job he had refused to take at Eigamura High school. Honestly, had they _really_ thought that he'd leave a decent school like Mitsurugi – where _he_ had studied, and where his _ancestors_ had studied – just for some stupid _position_?

The girls' cries grew louder, making him decide, with gritted teeth, that he _had_ to do something about them … and soon. He crouched down on his heels so that he was almost level with the children's heads. They stared at him, not with fear as normal children stared at him, but with childish happiness.

"I … need to go somewhere … _soon_ …" he said, unable to think of anything 'else' to say. Well, it _was_ true. He _had_ to go and see his athletics team – god only knew what they had been doing all this time without him. " … And I _can't_ take you to – that shop … or _that_ shop …" He mentally made note that they were _both_ toy shops.

The children's brown eyes widened, making his brain speak out an instant warning; '**Red Alert: **Crying is about to ensue …' It was the older sister that saved him.

"Ne, Suzume … Uncle Sei is right," she said, turning to her sister. The man raised his eyebrows. _Uncle … Sei_? What were these brats _thinking_? Didn't they know who he was? "We shouldn't disturb him …" continued Ayame, smiling at her sister. She looked back at her Uncle. "We're sorry, Uncle Sei … we won't trouble you again."

And it was _there_ that 'Uncle Sei' was struck. And hard at that. These two children – who weren't even _ten_ yet … were apologizing to _him_. These two children, who weren't even ten yet, who had lost their mother a few days ago, were apologizing to _him_. They should be – god forbid them from doing it _now – _but they should be crying, and wailing for their mother by now … instead of apologizing for troubling him.

Then again, they hadn't been with their mother for two months … Why? The doctor had said that the children should be kept away from his cousin incase they caught the disease as well. Granted, they _had_ seen their mother's dead body … and they _had_ cried a little, although Suzume, the younger sister, had merely thought that 'Okasan had fallen asleep.'

He sighed. That was why he hated kids … they _somehow_ managed to make him feel guilty. He looked at them again, to see them looking at the ground, rather guiltily.

" … Are you girls hungry?" They looked up at him, their faces brightening.

"Hai!" they said in unison. He stood up, looking around. Where could he take them – ah … Makimachi's family's restaurant wasn't far from here … the Aoiya. It was a really good restaurant – and the service there was _great_.

"Then let's go and get something to eat …" he said, walking forward and hoping that when he _did_ get to school, the athletics team would still be standing.

* * *

Soujirou, glancing sideways at Yahiko, saw the intense glare he was giving the whiteboard – where their math teacher was working something out – and frowned slightly.

What _had_ happened during his meeting with Nakamura sensei? He could tell that it wasn't anything _good_.

"Psst …" He turned around slightly, to see Kaoru looking at him. "What do you think happened?" Soujirou shrugged casually, as their teacher turned around to face the class.

"I don't k – " He stopped when the teacher glanced in his direction.

"Seta – is Myoujin even _trying_ to listen to what I'm saying?" he asked. Startled, Soujirou turned to Yahiko, to find him still staring at the whiteboard, the expression on his face _clearly_ telling anyone that he wasn't paying any attention to what was going on in class.

"Er – " he stopped. What was he supposed to say anyway? "I … er … maybe he's sick …" The teacher raised his eyebrows, skeptically.

" … Right …" he said, not believing him at all. "Forget him, in any case. Here's your next exercise. There are 12 questions on this and I expect …" Soujirou tuned out the teacher's voice as he glanced once again at Yahiko. Something _was_ wrong … and he had to find out what it was.

* * *

Megumi glanced out of the window her desk was next to. The sun was lazily beaming down on the world … and a refreshing breeze was blowing in through the opened window. She smiled in satisfaction as the breeze ruffled her hair slightly. What with the rather _humid_ atmosphere in the classroom, a _gale_ would have been welcomed by the students seated inside the room.

Speaking of the students inside the room … she turned her head to her right, and glanced at the person seated on the desk two desks away from her. She immediately frowned. His chin was resting on the palm of his right hand, which he had propped up on the desk, and his eyes were almost slits in his face.

Granted, she didn't know _everything_ about Sagara Sanosuke … but she knew enough about him to know that he didn't _usually_ look like he wanted to kill the first person that _dared_ speaking to him. True, he was rather violent, but not in this way. He looked like he was going to explode …

Her mind went back to the beginning of the lesson, when Sano had walked into the class after his meeting with Nakamura sensei. Since he had been called for the meeting, he hadn't been able to copy her history homework down. Being the _thoughtful_ person she was, she had drawn the brief sketch of the timeline they were meant to do, making it as untidy and 'Sano-like' as she could. Walking into the class when the bell rang, she had placed the book on Sano's empty desk, seeing it empty.

When he had entered the class, three minutes after the bell had rung; she had immediately called out his name, seeing the expression of _resentment _mixed with fury on his face. He hadn't looked up, and had merely gone to his desk. After sitting down even, he hadn't turned to acknowledge her – or even _thank_ her for the homework.

She wouldn't have usually thought about _going up to him_, but his awful mood made her decide otherwise. She had been about to go to him, when their History teacher had entered the class and handed them a 'surprise fun quiz' which wasn't 'surprising' – apart from the fact they _hadn't_ known they were going to get it – or 'fun' in _any_ aspect.

She sighed as she heard their teacher raise his voice. It was no point thinking about it now. She'd have to wait until the lesson ended – _providing_ that Sano wouldn't try to bite her head off when she approached him.

She smiled dangerously. If he _did_ do that … she'd show him she wasn't called a 'kitsune' for nothing …

* * *

Fujita Tokio walked down the corridor hurriedly, trying to pack her books and pencil case into her bag at the same time. She had been at the library, trying to finish her music homework during her free period when she glanced at her wristwatch and saw that it was 12:40 p.m. She had positively squealed in horror and had jumped up from her seat, startling everyone next to her, and had dashed out of the library, grabbed her bag and hurried down the corridor, trying to get everything in her hands into her bag whilst thinking of a suitable excuse to give her geography teacher for being ten minutes late for class.

Dashing out of the library had ruffled her wavy brown hair that reached her shoulder blades and so she was trying to get her books inside her bag _and_ run her fingers through her hair _whilst_ walking quickly. Glancing at her wristwatch, she realized that _she_ was _really_ going to be dead meat. Forgetting about walking 'gracefully' and 'quickly' she ran down the corridor.

… And wasn't able to stop herself from crashing _straight_ into a tall, lean student. She yelped as her books _and_ bag slipped from her hands, and as she lurched forward, on to the person she had crashed into.

She closed her eyes, expecting both of them to crash onto the ground, when she felt two strong arms grab her and steady her. She opened one eye first, and was met with the sight of an opened collar, revealing a white shirt underneath – part of the boys' school uniform. Opening her other eye and looking up a little, she was met with a pair of tawny eyes that looked somewhat surprised as they looked into her dark eyes.

She could have stared at the pair of eyes for ever … but the thought 'YOU'RE ALREADY LATE' screamed in her head, making her step away from him hurriedly.

"I – I'm sorry …" she stammered, apologetically, as she knelt down on the ground and began picking her pencil case, books and papers up, trying to stuff them into her bag. "I – I didn't mean to – " She stopped, looking for her small notebook, when it was shoved in front of her face. She looked up and saw him _properly_ for the first time. He was tall … and had rather sharp features – of which his eyes were _definitely_ a part of. Three thin strands of hair fell across his eyes, giving him a _slightly_ … unusual appearance.

The first word that came into her mind as she observed him was 'wolf.'

" … Is there something wrong with my face?" he asked, amused as he watched her eyes scan his face. She came back into the 'real world' flushing as she realized she had been staring.

"Er – no …" she said, taking the book and smiling her thanks. Standing up, she bowed slightly to him. "Sorry about that once again!" And with that, she ran down the corridor as fast as she could.

He watched her go, her brown hair flying behind her, the amused look still on his face, before he turned around and headed towards the library.

* * *

He growled _again_ as he watched a trail of soup dribble down the side of Suzume's mouth, remembering the other reason as to why he hated kids – they were _messy!!!_

Grabbing a paper napkin off the table, he moved forward to wipe it for her, when her sister beat him to it, and gently cleaned the soup off her face. She smiled guiltily at him. "Gomen Uncle Sei … I'll make sure she doesn't do it again …" said Ayame, sheepishly. He shook his head, running a hand through his black hair. There she went again, apologizing.

"Iie …" he said, turning to his _own_ soup. An old man came up to their table at that moment and he looked up at him.

"Excuse me Sir, is there anything else that I can get you?" he asked, politely, his gaze going over to the two little girls. The tall man nodded.

"A bottle of sake would be lovely," he said. The old man nodded, turning towards the children.

"And the children?" he asked, smiling as the smaller girl spilt soup on her clothes. The other man growled. Great – just great! "How about we do this …" said the old man, taking two serviettes and placing one of them on the girl's lap, and attaching the other one onto the top of her small t-shirt, so that, even if she _did_ spill anything, it would fall on the serviettes.

"Thank you …" said the man, gratefully. The older man shook his head.

"Iie … they remind me of Misao when she was little – my granddaughter …" he said, smiling. That caught the man's attention.

"Misao – Makimachi Misao?" he asked. The older man turned toward him, surprised. How did this … man know his granddaughter? If Omasu and Ochika were to find _that_ out, they'd kill Misao – as they found him _quite_ appealing.

"You … know Misao?" he asked. The man nodded.

"Yes … I'm her athletics coach – Hiko Seijiro," he said. The old man's eyes widened.

"Kashiwazaki Nenji – just call me Okina," he said, bowing slightly to him. Hiko Seijiro bowed back. It looked like he was _finally_ going to get some information about how his students had been faring.

"Er … Kashiwazaki san, how _is_ Makimac – er, Misao doing these days?" he asked. Okina sighed.

"Ah … she's really grouchy … not being able to move off the bed," he said. "The slightest movement hurts her knee, but she doesn't complain at all …"

"Knee?" echoed Hiko Seijiro, not caring that Suzume had spilled her whole soup on herself and was now whimpering in pain as the hot soup burnt her. "What happened to it?" Okina looked surprised again.

"You – you don't know?" he asked. Hiko shook his head.

"I wasn't here – I was out of town for a while," he said.

"Oh … well she had an accident during athletics practice … and she sprained her right ankle, and has fractured her knee in two places," said Okina.

"She WHAT???!!!" Okina winced at the loud exclamation. "S- Sorry about that … but – how? Is she going to be alright? How did she do that to herself?"

"Apparently it was when she was jumping the hurdles," he said. Hiko Seijiro's eyes widened.

"But – Makimachi's good at the hurdles … she's not the type to make a mistake with them …" he said. Okina shrugged.

"I don't know about that," he said. "All I know is that she's been staying at home and is _very _grumpy about it all." He smiled. "You must be knowing how _impatient_ she can get." The coach nodded slowly. This was _not_ his good day – or rather, couple of days. First his cousin and then _her_ children … and now … the only _good_ runner they had for the Girls' … was injured and probably wouldn't make it to the upcoming tournament.

He resisted the urge to slam his head against a wall – or table, or _anything_ hard. If _Misao_ was like that … he hated to think of what the _rest_ of the team would be like. He conjured up the image of Kenshin, Yahiko, Sano and Soujirou looking at him; Kenshin in a wheelchair, Soujirou in crutches, Sano with his left leg in a cast, and Yahiko with his right ankle in a cast, telling him that they _would **definitely** win_ the tournament this year.

He wondered what _else_ would happen to make this day get _better_ …

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

Mrs. Makimachi ran to answer the door as the doorbell rang. Wiping her hands on the apron she was wearing, she unlocked the door and opened it, smiling.

"Kashiwazaki Resid – " Her voice died down in her throat as she stared at the man standing on her doorstep, with two children on either side of him. He was tall – quite tall – and had black hair. He was rather powerfully built … and didn't _look_ very old …

"Er … Makimachi san?" She snapped out of her reverie.

"Hai …" she said. "Do I … know you?"

"Not really. I'm Hiko Seijiro, Mi – "

" – sao's coach," finished Mrs. Makimachi, her eyes widening slightly. "S – Sorry … come inside …" She stepped aside. The coach walked inside, bringing the two girls with him. He saw Mrs. Makimachi's eyes travel to Suzume's dirty clothes, and growled again.

"She – had an accident with some soup at the Aoiya …" he said,

"The … Aoiya?" asked Mrs. Makimachi. He nodded.

"Yes … I was out of town for a while, and I took them – my nieces – to the Aoiya for some food," he said. "And Misao's grandfather told me what happened to her …"

"Ah, Otosan …" said Mrs. Makimachi, nodding. "I'm sorry, but would you like some tea? Or some lunch?" Hiko Seijiro shook his head.

"I already had lunch," he said. "Can I – see Misao – if it's possible?" Mrs. Makimachi nodded, confused.

" … This way …" she said, taking the lead and walking towards the stairs. With Suzume and Ayame looking around them in confusion, he followed her.

Misao opened her eyes as her mother walked into the room. She sat up after some struggling. "Kachan! I have _nothing_ to do!" she said, in a slightly high-pitched voice. "I'm bored and there's _no one_ for me to _talk_ to! Can't you ask Soujirou or Kaoru to spend the nig – SENSEI!!!"

Hiko Seijiro winced as he heard Misao exclaim. Her mother motioned for him to step inside the room. He did so. Misao grinned at him. "It's okay sensei … I'm going to make it to the tournament …" Mrs. Makimachi started, sighing. __

"How are you feeling?" asked the coach, taking in the cast on her leg, and the bandage on her ankle.

"Bored to _death_," was Misao's immediate reply. Her coach shook his head.

"I meant – "

"Sensei – are they – your _children_?" Hiko Seijiro glanced at the two girls, and then glared at Misao.

"**No**, Makimachi, they're my nieces," he said. Misao grinned at them, looking curiously at her.

"Aww … they're cute!" she said. "What're their names?" The man was about to say it didn't matter about their names, when the two children took charge.

"I'm Gensai Ayame."

"And I'm Gen-sai Suzume …" Misao smiled.

"Makimachi Misao!" she said. Mrs. Makimachi smiled as Misao pointed at her. "And that's my Kachan …" Ayame's face fell at once. Everyone – except for Suzume – saw it. Hiko frowned. "I – I'm sorry – did I – " Misao stopped when Ayame took her hand off her Uncle's and stared at the floor.

"Ayame – "

"Uncle Sei … can I go outside? I … I won't touch anything …"

"No Aya – "

"Oh it's alright," said Mrs. Makimachi, smiling at the girl. "You can go outside if you want to – but be careful, you might fall." Ayame walked out of the room.

"Sensei – did I say – "

"Their mother … died …" said Hiko Seijiro, softly. Misao's eyes widened, mirroring her mother.

"I didn't – oh god – I didn't think – " The coach shook his head. She hadn't known anyway. Suzume looked at her uncle.

"I want to go out to, Uncle Sei …" she said, tiredly. He shook his head.

"No you can't Suzume," he said.

"But I want to go with neechan!" wailed Suzume. Her uncle winced. He was going to lose it one day – soon too. Mrs. Makimachi intervened, taking the little girl's hand in her own.

"I'll take her downstairs …" she said, looking at Misao's coach for approval. "If it's okay with you … for I'm sure you have a lot of things to ask Misao about – the team for example …" Hiko nodded, smiling slightly.

"If it isn't asking too much …" he said. Shaking her head, Mrs. Makimachi walked out, taking Suzume with her. There was a short silence in the room, before Hiko glanced at Misao. "Misao … _what_ happened?" Misao grinned.

"I had a feeling that was coming …" she said.

"And?" She sighed.

"You won't believe this … but it's true … you can ask Kenshin, Sano, Yahiko or Soujirou," she said, taking a deep breath. "You see, Saito … … …"

* * *

**A/N**

Argh … I _seriously_ ran out of ideas for that one, and thought I'd include Ayame and Suzume. I'm sorry it wasn't a sensible choice … Heh, and another idea popped into my head; about Hiko Seijiro. Can you guess what it is? It involves someone else too …

Heh and _what_ will Hiko Seijiro do to Saito? Will Misao tell him _everything_ Saito's been doing?

We'll find out soon!

See ya soon! And smile!!!

Siriusgirl1


	13. Helped Again

**A/N**

Heh! Another chapter's here! Hope you enjoy this too, and thanks for all the reviews! Heh … I can't seem to get the picture of Hiko Seijiro being 'bullied' and 'driven crazy' by two little girls out of my mind – no matter how hard I try. Oh well …

**Kitsune Kenshin: **Heh, that was _definitely _funny. It wasn't what you'd usually expect from someone when they're in a crisis, is it? Heh, and what about the part when Elizabeth falls into the sea, and Jack's talking to 2 soldiers, and he says 'will you be saving her then?" and they're like 'but i can't swim,' and he goes 'pearl of the king's navy you are!' He's really great ... heh, thanks for the review! No, it didn't waste my time at all! Yes, let's hope Tokio does a good job ... I did feel bad about the girls, but I thought about Hiko being bullied by two kids, and couldn't get rid of that thought. Imagine, the famous Hiko Seijiro, handling kids ... heh, hope you like this!

**jade eyed neko: **Indeed, Soujirou should do that - although, knowing Kenshin, he'd suggest escaping through the window or something, and recieve a good punch from Kaoru! Thanks for your review! And there's a little more Sano and Megumi in this. I just feel sorry for Soujirou, stuck with people that are 'seemingly' going mad! Hope you like this too!

**Oniwabanshu: **(dodges kunais and kodachi's) I made this one longer than the last chapter! I really did ... (hands kunais and kodachi's over) hmm ... using them is _quite_ effective in making me extend the length. They're good for future use! Heh, thanks for the review! Heh, about your 'ideas' ... i'll just say one thing - i won't say anything now! Heheheh ... you _are_ right about somethings ... or are you wrong? Hmm ... we will have to see won't we? Thanks for the compliments _again_ ... and the review was great. About Hiko dealing with Saito ... we'll have to see the consequences of that ... well, that's it for now ... read on!

**kakashi fan: **Heheheh ... (sorry if i seem to be doing that a lot) Hiko and Misao's mum ... could be, could not be. You'll have to read and find out! Heh, thanks for the review, and enjoy this!

**setsuna: **Heh, being threatened to be 'hunted down' and thrown kunais, katanas and kodachis at ... would make anyone update fast - just kidding! Heh, i'll try to keep on updating like this ... Saito and Tokio - well, i hope she'll 'soften' saito somewhat ... who knows what he might do to everyone else if not? Thanks for the review, and hope you like this one too!

**HitokiriSky: **Thank you, thank you, thank you! Yes, Aoshi/Misao is one of my favourite pairings too (as you might have guessed). Hmm ... good question ... I guess we'll find out during the tournament, right? Heh, thanks for the review!

**midnight song: **Hmm ... I was thinking about that, actually. Some people spell it 'Saitou' or 'Saito' or 'Saitoh.' Hmm ... i'll try and change it from the next chapter ... though i kind of prefer 'saito.' But thanks for pointing that out, and thanks for the review! Hope you like this one too!

**Why?What?Shutup: **I don't think Saito's that bad either ... though I'm beginning to get second thoughts after typing his character in this. Heh. But don't worry ... he won't be _that_ bad ... especially with Hiko sensei back! Thanks for the review, and I hope you like this too!

**sonia: **I was hoping to get them to actually 'talk' to each other first, before the 'real' interaction starts! Heh, there is a _bit_ of it in this one ... and plenty more in the rest to come, of course! Heh, thanks for the review, and enjoy this too!

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Helped Again**

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****

****

"What's wrong with Yahiko?"

"I don't know …"

"You're _supposed_ to know! You know him better than I do!"

"I can't read minds, Kaoru …"

"I _know_ that … but – " They were interrupted when they saw Sano and Megumi walking their way. "There's Sano – maybe he'll tell us – " Kaoru was stopped abruptly when Sano whirled around to face Megumi who was walking a few steps behind him, and who was looking rather miffed.

"Will you _leave_ me alone?!" he asked, his voice raised. Megumi stopped walking, startled by the expression of frustration on Sano's face.

"I was just trying to – "

"Well _don't_, okay?!" A stricken look appeared on Megumi's face … before it was replaced immediately with a mask of fury.

"Fine. You get into trouble and deal with it. Don't ask me for any help ever again then," she retorted, coldly. Sano snorted.

"I won't," he said. "I don't need the help of someone like _you_." Kaoru's jaw was on the ground and Soujirou's was halfway there as they watched Megumi raise her hand and bring it into contact with Sano's cheek. The resounding slap could be heard from where they were standing.

Sano touched his right cheek as it stung him, his eyes slightly widened as he stared at Megumi. "You watch the way you speak to me, Sanosuke!" snapped Megumi, lowering her hand, her eyes flashing. Kaoru and Soujirou exchanged 'raised eyebrow' glances, before turning back to their two friends.

Megumi, spotting them, brushed past Sano and stopped beside them. "Aren't you going for practice, Soujirou?" she asked. Soujirou nodded weakly, wondering again what had happened to his friends.

"H – Hai … I am," he said. Kaoru stared at Megumi.

"What's up with _him_?" she asked. Megumi shrugged.

"I don't know," she said. "And I don't think I _want_ to know either."

"Yahiko's been acting pretty much the same …" said Kaoru. "Ever since their meeting with Nakamura sensei." That caught Megumi's attention.

"Yahiko's been the same?" she asked, thoughtfully, as she turned back and glanced at Sano, who was still standing where he was, touching his cheek.

"I think something happened during that 'meeting," said Kaoru.

"Then _why_ won't they tell us about it?" asked Soujirou, confused. Megumi stiffened as Sano walked towards them, snapping out of his reverie. Kaoru and Soujirou smiled rather nervously at him.

"S – Sano …" said Kaoru, smiling. "Er … um … practice … let's go for practice, shall we?" she stammered. Sano's face darkened for a brief second before he turned to Megumi.

"Sorry kitsune, I didn't mean to say that …" he said, gruffly. Megumi looked away from him, obviously not about to forgive him. Sano sighed. "He's gone and told Nakamura sensei that he _told_ us to _come_ for practice, and that we skipped it yesterday – with the tournament coming up. We're on detention – Yahiko and I," he said. "And he's apparently 'innocent' and we're lying about him when we say that _he_ was the one that told us not to come …"

"That's ridiculous," said Soujirou, slowly. "I was there – he told you not to come …" Sano smiled grimly.

"You know that, I know that and Yahiko knows that … but Nakamura sensei doesn't …" he said. "Besides, I guess it's okay – just a detention – but – "

"Just a detention? _Just_ a _detention_?" asked Kaoru. "Sano, are you _mad_? What'll your parents say?" Sano grinned weakly at her.

"My parents are used to me getting loads of detentions, Kaoru," he said. Kaoru had nothing to say to that – he was right.

"But the point is Saito shouldn't have lied like that," said Soujirou.

"Yeah, but he _did_," said Sano, his face darkening again. He turned once more to Megumi. "Thanks for doing the timeline … and I'm really sorry that I spoke that way." He stopped when he saw that Megumi was _still_ not looking at him. "I'm sorry Megumi …" Kaoru and Soujirou watched on as Megumi turned to look at him, sighing deeply, as though she was about to do something against her will.

"You owe me _twice_, rooster," she said, not saying that she accepted his apology. "For doing your homework _and_ for talking to me like that." She smiled in her 'foxy' way. "And you can start by getting on your knees and apologizing to me …" Sano's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he stared at her.

"You're – you're _not_ serious …" he muttered. Megumi grinned at him.

"Oh I _am_ … _very_ serious …" she said. "Ho ho ho ho …" Soujirou intervened at that precise moment, much to Sano's relief.

"Er … we _should _get going if we want to make it to the practice on time …" he said, causing Sano to turn to him and mouth 'thank you.'

"Sano – are you going to go for practice?" asked Yahiko, approaching them with a scowl on his face. Sano scowled.

"I don't want to, but I don't want to get another detention – or suspension from the team, though I doubt they'll do that," he said. Yahiko sighed.

"I was thinking the same thing …" he said. Soujirou smiled in relief.

"Well then, what are we waiting for? We should get going!" he said. Sano and Yahiko nodded, walking forward and heading out of the building. "We'll see you tomorrow …" said Soujirou, smiling at Kaoru and Megumi.

"Soujirou – are you going to see Misao chan today?" asked Kaoru, suddenly. Soujirou nodded hurriedly.

"Of course …" he said. "Why do you ask?" Kaoru grinned evilly.

"Oh … _just_ asking …" she said. Scratching his head in confusion at Kaoru's 'evil gleam in her eyes,' Soujirou followed Sano and Yahiko, hoping this practice wouldn't be a repeat of the day Sano tried attacking Saito. That would be disastrous.

"Are you going home now?" asked Kaoru, turning to Megumi. The older girl shook her head.

"No, there's a Magazine committee meeting today and I am needed there," she said. "You?" Kaoru shook her head.

"I have an extra chemistry class," she said, groaning.

"What do you know, bears are terrible at chemistry …" said Megumi, smiling. "No wonder there's no chemistry between them and certain red-headed cuties …" Kaoru turned super deformed as she glared at Megumi.

"I don't recall noting that _foxes_ have _chemistry_ with 'red-headed cuties," she snapped. Megumi laughed.

"That's because you're a bear who has no talent in spotting chemistry," she said. Kaoru glared daggers at her.

"I _do_ have a talent at spotting 'chemistry'!" she growled.

"Oh? And _who_ have you spotted that has 'chemistry' with someone?" asked Megumi, interested. She had only been teasing the girl – but now she was curious as to whom she thought had 'chemistry' with each other.

"Aoshi san and M – " Kaoru stopped, horror stricken, as her anger vanished in an instant, only to be replaced by horror, as Megumi stared at her, both eyebrows raised.

"Aoshi and … _Misao_?" she asked. Kaoru turned deep red.

"No – Misao? Who said Misao? Are you _mad_? Don't even _tell_ that to her, she'll kill me – I mean, she'll kill _you_ for spreading stupid rumours!" she said.

"Really? Well … there's nothing wrong with just _asking_ her, is there?" asked Megumi. "Or telling her that 'Kaoru chan' said this about you and Aoshi?"

"Megumi don't you _dare_! I promised Misao that I wouldn't tell anyone and if you go and tell – " Kaoru closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She guessed she knew how Misao must have felt when she played this 'game' with her the other day, making her admit that she liked Aoshi …

Megumi was amused – _highly _amused. Not because she had made Kaoru blurt out one of Misao's secrets … but because the thought of Aoshi and Misao as a future 'couple' struck her as being amusing. Not that they didn't suit each other – it had more to do with Aoshi's 'colder than ice' personality … which was the complete opposite of Misao's 'warmer than fire' personality.

"I'll see you _later_ then, Kaoru," she said, smiling sweetly at the stricken girl, before she walked away. Kaoru stared after her, wondering what she had just got herself into. Would Megumi tell Misao? She gulped … Misao would _definitely_ kill her if she did …

* * *

Mrs. Makimachi smiled as Suzume spilt a bit of the milk on her already stained brown dress. Smiling patiently, she leaned forward and pressed the serviette on to the dress, gently taking the glass out of the girl's hands. Turning to Ayame, she saw that she had already finished the glass of milk.

"Ayame chan – try the biscuits," she said, nodding at the biscuits she had placed in front of them. Ayame shook her head, smiling shyly.

"I'm … full …" she said. Mrs. Makimachi smiled at her, before turning to Suzume again.

"How about you try a few biscuits?" she asked. The girl shook her head as well, clearly trying to imitate her sister. "How about some milk then?" Suzume shook her head again. Mrs. Makimachi sighed inwardly, before she sat back down on her seat, observing the two children. She smiled sadly as she remembered what Hiko Seijiro had said about their mother.

"Er – Makimach – " She looked up to see Hiko standing at the entrance to the kitchen, a serious expression on his face. She smiled at him.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No, I need to go now," said Hiko, looking warily at the two girls. He could just imagine going for the practice _and_ facing Saito with the two girls as his 'side-kicks.' Mrs. Makimachi didn't miss the look he gave the children.

"Are you taking Ayame and Suzume for the practice as well?" she asked, curiously. He sighed.

" … I've got no choice …" he grumbled in his deep voice, though his eyes fell on Rika. Mrs. Makimachi pretended that she didn't see him, although she had a feeling she knew what he would _like_ to do … but just _couldn't_ ask her to do that for him. She sighed inwardly.

" … I _could_ … keep them here if you'd like …" she said, not looking at him. "Of course – if you'd like …" Hiko's eyes widened slightly as he looked at her for a moment, digesting what she had said. When it _did_ digest, he made sure to give her his _best_ smile.

"It won't be too much trouble?" he asked. Mrs. Makimachi shook her head, looking somewhat fondly at the two girls.

"It's been quite some time since I've looked after kids – though looking after Misao is similar to that …" she said. Hiko smiled again. He turned to the two girls.

"Now you two girls should behave well, understand?" he asked, using his most serious tone on them. The two girls nodded – though Suzume did it somewhat sleepily.

"We will, Uncle Sei," said Ayame, for her _and_ her sister. Mrs. Makimachi raised her eyebrows. _Uncle Sei_?

"Hnn … Makimachi san, how can I thank you again?" asked Hiko Seijiro, turning back to her. She smiled, shaking her head.

"A simple 'thank you' will be fine," she said.

"Thank you." She laughed. Looking at the man called Hiko Seijiro one wouldn't be able to tell that he was capable of sounding so _humble_. He looked more like someone that was always ready to fight, being serious. "Well then – I should get going …" he said, slowly. "Make sure Misao rests."

"It _is_ a bit difficult keeping her in one place," said Mrs. Makimachi. Hiko nodded.

"And it's also necessary to make sure that she doesn't move her knee around too much," he added. "Because that's too dangerous – the fractures could take some time to heal if it is moved." Mrs. Makimachi nodded again, though she was wondering why he was telling her all of this – it wasn't like she _didn't know_ what to do for her daughter. "Oh, and when she _is_ walking, just stay by her side, okay? She might lose her balance or something and then – "

"I _know_ Hiko san," she cut in, before he could go on. "I _have_ been looking after her all this time."

"That _is_ true … She's the _only_ hope for the Girls' team this year, and if she gets taken out at _this_ stage … I shudder to think of the outcome of the tournament for us …" said Hiko. Mrs. Makimachi narrowed her eyes slightly – a feat which did not go unnoticed to Hiko. He noted that her eyes were extra-ordinarily similar to her daughter's – even more so when they were narrowed in anger.

" … So as long as she's okay for the tournament, it's fine?" she asked. Hiko shook his head hurriedly, as Ayame watched on.

"No, no – of course not," he said, shaking his head again. "I was merely saying that _she'd_ be miserable if she had to stay in bed all her life …" He was mentally kicking himself. He must be losing his touch with people if he was able to say the wrong thing – this early - to make someone angry.

"Oh …" said Mrs. Makimachi. "I – " she stood up hurriedly, grabbing the glass of milk as Suzume leaned over on the table and was about to knock it over as she stretched. Hiko frowned slightly. Maybe … maybe he should just take them with him … Glancing at his watch he saw that it was high time that he left. He looked uncertainly at the kids and at Mrs. Makimachi before clearing his throat.

"I'll be leaving now – I'll come and get them at the end of the practice," he said. Mrs. Makimachi nodded, getting up and leading the way to the front door. The moment he had left, and she had closed the door, she let out a deep breath. She should have _thought_ a little before she had offered to look after the kids.

What if he asked her to look after them everyday? Not that she minded – but … it was none of _her_ business … and besides, looking after an injured Misao was more than enough of work for her; not that _that_ was troublesome either.

She _had_ to admit, though … that when Misao spoke about 'sensei' or 'Hiko sensei' … she had expected him to be a rather plump, old man … not someone that looked rather young and out of place in a peaceful society.

* * *

"Saito, I got the application forms for the hurdles …" said Kenshin, walking up to Saito, who was watching Mitsui Yoriko as she attempted the 2 into 100 meter race.

"Hnn … and did you find anyone for the Under 19 and Under 17 girls' team?" asked Saito, looking at his vice-captain. Kenshin nodded.

"Yes, Fujita Tokio …" he said. "For the Under 19's."

"And the Under 17's?" asked Saito.

"I'm looking into that …" said Kenshin. Saito raised an eyebrow at him.

"I don't mind if you don't find someone for the Under 17's – Makimachi can run on her own for all I care," he said. "I just thought that you _wouldn't_ want her to be on her own." Kenshin nodded, breathing deeply.

"Which is _why_ I'm looking into it," he said, as calmly as he could.

"Good, good," said Saito. "How _is_ the weasel girl anyway?" Kenshin growled inside.

"She's _on top of the world_ Saito," he said, sarcastically. "How do you _expect_ her to be, with her _injuries_? Dancing around? Jumping with joy?"

"Careful, Himura …" said Saito, as Sano, Yahiko and Aoshi walked their way. "I mean, two idiots have already received detentions for their insufferable attitudes." Kenshin saw Sano and Yahiko stop walking. He still didn't know what had happened with Nakamura sensei.

"Huh?" was all he asked.

"Aoshi – what was your time for the 2 into 100 race?" asked Saito, turning to him.

" … 4 minutes as 3.2 seconds," replied Aoshi, quietly. Saito nodded.

"Not bad …" he said. "Try the 4 into 100 one tomorrow …" Aoshi said nothing, as his gaze flickered from Sano and Yahiko, to his cousin. Shrugging, Saito walked away, heading towards Shihiro, who had stopped running for a while to take a breather.

"Kaoru." Aoshi looked at Kenshin as he heard him say the name. Sure enough, standing some distance away from them, looking nervous, was Kaoru. Kenshin smiled at her. "Kaoru … over here …" he called. Kaoru looked up at the sound of his voice and walked towards them.

"What brings you here, Kaoru?" asked Kenshin, warmly.

"I finished my chemistry class … and thought I'd come and check up on you guys," said Kaoru, smiling at Aoshi. Actually, she had come to 'check up' on Kenshin, after not getting any chemistry into her head, since she was busy thinking about what she had blurted out to Megumi.

"Heh, you should have brought Megumi with you," said Yahiko. "Kitsune versus Wolf … that would be a sight to see …" Kaoru didn't grin, as the mention of Megumi's name made her remember what she had blurted out to her. She looked again at Aoshi, before looking at Kenshin.

"Are you guys going to see Misao today?" she asked. Kenshin scratched his head, looking thoughtful.

"Hnnn … we didn't go yesterday either …" he said. "So we _should_ go … but I _do_ have some work to do today …"

"I went to see her yesterday," said Sano.

"So did Soujirou," added Kaoru, looking at Aoshi. He stared indifferently at her, though he was squirming inwardly. He had _known_ it was a bad idea to ask her about Soujirou and Misao going out …

"Yeah, but that's it … she won't like it, being left all alone like that," said Yahiko. "I didn't go to see her …" he added, sheepishly.

"Aoshi san went to see her too," said Kaoru. Aoshi glanced sharply at her as everyone turned to look at him.

"Oro?"

"You … _did_?"

"When?"

" … Kaoru san wanted me to give her some book – Romeo and Juliet I think it was," he said, quietly. "Something about reading it in class …"

"Huh? But … we've finished that book …" said Yahiko, turning to Kaoru. "Right?" Kaoru flushed as she saw Aoshi fix her with a penetrating gaze. "Yeah, we did finish it – remember, two weeks ago – we were given 'Hamlet' in place of that …" continued Yahiko.

"Er … yes – I … I was just – Misao was – " she stopped. "Er …" she grinned, sneaking an evil glance at Aoshi, who immediately knew that something 'bad' was going to happen. "Aoshi san thought that Soujirou and Misao were going out …" If looks could kill, not only would Kaoru be dead in _this_ life, but in _all_ the other lives she would be reborn in, after she died.

"You did?" snorted Yahiko, a smile on his face. "Yeah … I guess it _does_ seem that way …"

"Heh … she'd kill you if she found out you thought that way," laughed Sano. "They're just good friends." Kenshin, however, said nothing as he observed Aoshi's flushed face. He was beginning to get rather strange ideas about this whole affair …

"Uh-oh … Mr. Wolf's heading our way …" grumbled Yahiko, seeing Saito walk up to them. He and Sano immediately moved away, heading to the other side of the field, wanting to put as much distance as possible between their captain and them. Kenshin stayed where he was, with Aoshi and Kaoru.

Kaoru grinned at Aoshi, knowing that what she was going to say would make him keep his distance from her – for a little while. "Satisfied, Aoshi san?" she asked.

" … … ..."

"They're _just_ friends … _not_ going out …"

"Oro?" asked Kenshin, watching Aoshi's flush turn a deep red. He couldn't say anything else as Saito stopped beside them. Kaoru watched Saito's gaze turn from her to Aoshi … and back again.

" … Is this the Fujita girl?" he asked, looking at Kenshin, who had stiffened slightly.

"No … this is Kaoru – Kamiya Kaoru …" he said. Saito's eyes widened slightly as he heard the name. He turned to look at Aoshi, his earlier question answered. So _this_ was the Kamiya girl …

_So this is Aoshi's 'sister' _

Aoshi saw the way he looked from him to Kaoru and frowned. Saito's comment about still being with his 'mummy' was still fresh in his mind. He opened his mouth to say something, when Saito beat him to it.

"Ah, I see the two chickens ran away from me …" he said, looking at the distant figures of Sano and Yahiko. "Hnn … their detentions serve them right …"

"Detentions?" asked Kenshin, surprised. "What detentions?" Saito smirked, noticing Kaoru look up hurriedly.

"You call yourselves _friends_ … but you don't know about the detentions those two have received?" he asked. Kaoru glanced hurriedly at Kenshin.

"No, I don't know about the detentions they've received," he said. "Care to enlighten me?" Saito shook his head.

"Figure it out yourself …" he said. He glanced at Kaoru for moment. "Then again … why don't you ask your girlfriend?" He didn't know for _sure_ whether the Kamiya girl knew about the detentions or not, but from the guilty look on her face as he asked Himura to ask her, he guessed that she _did_ know.

"What does Kaoru have to do with this?" asked Kenshin, his eyes narrowed at Saito. Understanding dawned on the captain as he took in Kenshin's change of temper.

" … Dear me, we seem to have gotten _defensive_ …" he said. Kenshin glared at him.

"What does Kaoru have to do with this?" he repeated. Saito smirked.

"Why ask me? Why not ask her?" he asked. "Oh, and Aoshi … I want a word with you …" Kaoru and Aoshi stared curiously at him. Shrugging, Aoshi followed him. Kaoru glanced at Kenshin, who wasn't looking too happy. She touched his hand gingerly.

"Kenshin? Sano told Megumi and I about it … that's how I know …" she said. Kenshin turned to her, his expression softening.

" … What happened?" he asked.

"Saito san's apparently gone and told Nakamura sensei that Sano and Yahiko didn't come for practice and that they should be punished for it," said Kaoru. "And when they said that Saito san was the one that asked them not to come, they were accused of lying and were given a detention each." Kenshin's eyes widened.

"A – Are you _sure_ that it was Saito that told that to Nakamura sensei?" he asked. Kaoru nodded.

"At least – that's what Sano and Yahiko think," she said. Kenshin said nothing as he looked at where Saito and Aoshi were standing, talking. He couldn't believe it – true, he _knew_ that Saito Hajime wasn't a _nice_ person … but he never thought that he'd do something like _this_.

"I don't _believe_ him …" he said, his voice low and threatening. Kaoru nodded slowly.

"Neither do _I_." Kenshin's eyes widened as he heard the familiar voice. He spun around, and came face to face – or rather, face to _torso_ – with Hiko Seijiro.

"S – Sensei!"

* * *

Aoshi stood facing Saito, his face impassive. Saito stared at him for a second or two before shrugging, and starting the 'conversation.'

"Otosan wanted to know if you were being treated well by – Mrs. Kamiya …" he said. Aoshi glanced at Saito in surprise. Uncle Tooru wanted to know? Ah yes … he hadn't liked Kamiya san at the beginning …

" … She's treating me … as well as anyone can treat a stranger who was suddenly dropped off at their house," he said, making no notion of hiding the fact that he was still a _little_ bit resentful over his Aunt and Uncle's decision to leave him at the Kamiya's. Saito picked up on his tone.

"They did it for your own good …" he said. Aoshi said nothing.

" … Yes, leaving me with a stranger works _wonders_ for my own good …" he said. Saito said nothing. Should he, or shouldn't he? He knew that it would be completely _out_ of his character if he _did_ do that … but … as the kid's cousin …

"They're not 'strangers' Aoshi …" he said, at last. Aoshi glanced sharply at him.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" he asked. Saito stared at him, not making any sarcastic comments. Then again, if that _was_ indeed Mrs. Kamiya's daughter … it was best for Aoshi to know in case … just in case …

" … I don't know whether I should be telling you this …" he said. "But … I guess it's best for you to know …"

" … Are you going to _tell_ me what you mean … or are you going to stop at that?" asked Aoshi, anger beginning to rise inside him, even as he did his best to hide it. To his surprise, Saito didn't make any 'smart ass' comment about his 'temper' or anything … That was something new. Since when did _Saito_ stay quiet when he had the chance to make a sarcastic comment?

"Uncle Yuuji …" said Saito, slowly, trying to think of the best way to put all of this. " … Wasn't telling you the truth when he said that your mother 'le – " He was cut off when a loud voice reached his ears. He turned around slowly, and his eyes widened slightly as he saw the owner of the voice.

The looming figure of Hiko Seijiro was easy to recognize … Aoshi watched as people started murmuring, and as they ran towards the man. He frowned slightly. Who was he? Some important person? He personally didn't care who he was – all he wanted to do was to find out what Saito had been about to say about his father … and his mother.

His wish was denied as Saito growled under his breath and began to move forward, as the man shouted for everyone to 'gather around.'

"Wait," he said a hint of urgency present in his voice. He knew that it was now or never – Saito would _never_ finish what he had said. Saito stopped, turning to him. "What were you saying about Otosan? And my … mother?"

"Aoshi – " The loud voice was heard again. Saito shook his head and walked away – at his usual pace – leaving Aoshi where he was, staring after him, mixed emotions running through his head. Dammit … how was he supposed to 'move on' now, knowing that Saito knew something about his mother … something _he_ didn't know? For one of the first times in his life, frustration covered Aoshi's face instead of the emotionless mask that usually covered it.

* * *

Misao winced as her mother tightened her grip around her waist, gripping the railing at the same time. "Kachan …" she mumbled. Mrs. Makimachi sighed.

"I'm sorry Misao …" she said, stopping their 'journey' for a while. "Maybe we should try this when Otosan gets home …" Misao shook her head vehemently.

"No! Jiya'll only make it worse," she said. "You know him … he'd probably fall down the stairs instead …" Mrs. Makimachi smiled, despite having one foot on one step, the other on another step, _and_ supporting Misao at the same time. She was right … her father would most probably do that.

"Okay then … we'll start slowly …" she said, taking a deep breath. "Tell me when you want to stop." Misao nodded, though she did not tell her mother that even if it _did_ hurt, she wouldn't tell her. She had to get used to the pain anyway … so it was no point complaining about it. Besides, if she didn't do it now, her mother wouldn't let her try until a few days had passed – and by _that_ time, she would probably have died of boredom.

"Kachan … where're Suzume and Ayame?" she asked, biting down a hiss as pain reeked through her knee.

"They're fast asleep … on the couch …" said her mother, concentrating on getting her daughter down the stairs safely. Misao grunted slightly as pain seared through her ankle again. "Shall we st – "

"No!" Mrs. Makimachi sighed. She had known, before the question left her mouth, that Misao would say that. Shaking her head, she started moving again.

* * *

"Hahahaha … this is a really good day, isn't it, Sano?" asked Yahiko, a goofy grin on his face. Sano nodded, an _equally_ goofy grin on his face.

"Indeed it is Yahiko …" he said. "The best day I've seen so far in my life!" Soujirou chuckled to himself as he watched the two of them stagger down the road looking as though they were drunk – on happiness.

"Ano … I _know_ it's a good thing that Sensei's back … but is that _really_ the reason why you're so happy?" asked Kenshin, confused. Kaoru shook her head in exasperation as Soujirou smiled.

"They're not happy because of _that_, Kenshin … they're happy because Saito san was _kept back_ by Hiko sensei …" she said, smiling as she too remembered Hiko Seijiro's words before dismissing them; _'Saito … I want a word with you … stay back for a while.'_

"Oro? But … is that something to get so happy about?" asked Kenshin, not understanding. Kaoru sighed.

"Yes, because it looked like Saito san was going to get into trouble," she said.

"Oro?! How do you know? Did sensei tell you that?" Soujirou chuckled again.

"Iie, but the look on his face said that Saito would _probably_ get into trouble …" he explained, taking over from Kaoru.

"Oh …" Kaoru smiled as Yahiko and Sano continued with their silly joy, before she turned to Aoshi, walking silently beside them. True, he was always silent, but … something about _this_ silence was wrong.

"Aoshi san?" she asked. He didn't reply. "Aoshi san – is something wrong?" Aoshi shook his head slowly.

" … Iie …" he said, knowing that that was a _complete_ lie. Of course something was wrong. He was _apparently_ not living with 'strangers' and there was something that Saito knew about his mother … and he _still_ didn't know what it was. Kaoru frowned.

"You sure don't act like nothing's wrong …" she said. "Are you angry with me for telling Kenshin and everyone what you thought about Misao chan and Soujirou?" When Aoshi didn't answer, she was _sure_ that that was the reason. "I'm sorry Aoshi san – I was just joking around … I didn't mean for you to take it serious – "

"No … it's not that," said Aoshi, unable to stop himself from smiling slightly, _inwardly_. Did she _honestly_ think that he was like _some_ people, getting upset over something as _small_ as that? Even though it was 'big' enough to make him flush?

"Then what is – " Kaoru stopped. No, she shouldn't ask him that. " … If you _want_ to tell someone about it … you _can_ always tell me …" She smiled brightly at him. "Then again … you may not want to tell me …" Aoshi shook his head again. In a way, he envied Kamiya Kaoru. She didn't have a single worry in her life – unless it was something about Kenshin, her friends, her father or him. But those weren't _major_ problems. She had both her parents, and didn't have a cousin like Saito. Although he thought he saw a flash of compassion in his cousin's eyes as he tried to tell him about his mother and father.

"Here we are – Misao's place," called Yahiko, gleefully. "I can't _wait_ to see _her_ reaction to this!" Sano nodded eagerly.

"It'll make her day …" he said.

* * *

Misao smiled as she watched Suzume and Ayame run around the garden, giggling. Her mother had managed to get her outside, when two things had happened at once. For one, the phone had rung, and for the other, Suzume and Ayame had run outside, having woken up. At first, Misao had started throwing stones around – telling them to bring them back to her, but after a while, the three of them had gotten bored of that.

She had then asked them to pick some flowers for her, and try and make something – like a chain – and see who did it the _nicest_. Half way through _that_, the girls had decided to chase each other around the garden instead.

Feeling pins and needles on her left leg, she moved it around, frowning as the feeling didn't go away. After a few minutes of moving it around, she decided to try standing up. Using the tree she had been seated against – at the _far_ corner of the garden – as support, she tried to stand up …

… And found herself wincing as she landed back on her bottom, on a few roots. She saw stars of pain for that silly stunt. "Grr … I _will_ do this …" she growled to herself, trying to stand up again, putting all her weight on her left leg – the uninjured one – when the leg gave out underneath her, and she fell again. She smiled stupidly as she imagined the message her bottom was giving her mind; _Attention, bottom in pain; do not attempt standing again.'_

She shook her head; maybe she was going _mad_ from boredom …

* * *

Kaoru, Kenshin, Soujirou, Sano and Yahiko walked up to the front door of the Kashiwazaki Residence, grinning from ear to ear. Aoshi trailed behind them, still thinking about the earlier events. He was raging war with himself – partly because he shouldn't have shown Saito that he was interested in what he had to say, and partly because he knew he wouldn't be able to do _anything_ until he found out what Saito had been trying to say.

Everyone was meanwhile staring at the two little girls that were running around the garden. "Who – who are they?" wondered Kaoru.

"Probably some cousins," said Sano, grinning. "Aww … they're cute …"

"Sano! _Honestly_, you're going after little _kids_ now?" teased Yahiko, causing Sano to whack him on the head.

"Shut up," he grumbled. Kenshin laughed. Aoshi only briefly glanced at the children, before going back to his own 'world.'

"Aoshi san – come on! Misao won't bite!" called Kaoru, grinning as her 'perverted' mind thought of something else; involving Misao, Aoshi and …

Aoshi looked up hearing her, and walked slowly towards them. That was when Soujirou saw the figure moving towards them – slowly, but walking all the same. His eyes widened.

"Misao!" Everyone turned to look at him, surprised.

"Misao?"

"Yo, you feeling okay?"

"Are you _dreaming_ about her now?" Aoshi, seeing where Soujirou was looking, turned as well, only to see Misao walking towards them, the two girls running around her.

* * *

"Come on girls … let's try and calm down a little here…" said Misao, laughing as they ran around her.

"Mi-nee chan! Let's play some more!" cried Suzume. Misao reached forward and ruffled her hair, almost losing her balance in the process.

"Not today Suzume …" she said, smiling. "I'm a little tired …" Ayame's eyes landed on the cast on Misao's knee and the bandage on her ankle.

"Maybe we should stop – "

"Misao!" Misao looked up as her name was called.

" – running around Mi-neechan …" finished Ayame, stopping as she saw the people staring at them. Suzume stopped running abruptly, accidentally bumping into Misao. The girl tried valiantly to get her balance back … but found herself rapidly failing. _Not again_ …

* * *

Kaoru stared as Misao struggled to keep her balance. "Oh no!" Kenshin, Yahiko and Sano moved forward hurriedly, Kaoru behind them.

"_What_ is she thinking?" growled Sano. They stopped when they saw the two figures beat them to it.

* * *

Misao, thinking about giving up the struggle, found herself being supported in two places – or rather, two sides. Hands were _gently_ but surely holding her on either side, steadying her. She sighed in relief.

* * *

Kaoru clamped her hand over her mouth, fighting the urge to giggle as she saw Aoshi and Soujirou. As it was, she was making some pretty weird noises, and was scaring Yahiko, Kenshin and Sano.

* * *

Misao turned to her left, and saw Soujirou holding on to her, a worried expression on his face. He smiled at her as he saw her look at him.

"You should be careful, Misao," he said, steadying her. She frowned when she realized that _both_ of Soujirou's hands were in view. That was wrong … wasn't it? Then … who was holding her on the _other_ side? Frowning, she turned to her right … and saw Aoshi holding onto her, his ice blue eyes looking concerned as he held her.

"A – Aoshi!" she stuttered, feeling a blush form on her cheeks. Aoshi nodded, glancing at Soujirou, who smiled at him.

"Good thing we were here," said Soujirou. "_Don't_ try that again …" He turned to Aoshi. "Shall we, Aoshi san?" Aoshi nodded curtly at Soujirou, and shifted his arms, so that one was supporting Misao's back (which it seemed to be doing a _lot_ lately) whilst the other held her from the back of her knees, so that she wouldn't need to walk. Soujirou did the same.

"Is Mi-neechan okay?" asked Ayame, worriedly. Soujirou turned and smiled at her.

"She'll be okay … if she gets inside …" he said, comfortingly. Ayame nodded slowly, looking quite upset.

Together, Soujirou and Aoshi helped her towards the door. Misao tried protesting. "I can walk – Sou! Let me go … you know I can walk!"

"Of course … just wait a little while …" said Soujirou, smiling. Misao turned to Aoshi.

"Aoshi … please – I _really_ can walk – "

" … … Yes, but I wouldn't _advise_ you to do that now …" said Aoshi, concentrating on not letting his grip on Misao slip. Misao sighed, giving up … until she saw Kaoru. That wasn't bad … but she saw Kaoru with a _big_ grin on her face. She turned purple as they reached them.

"Oy, weasel! Don't try anything like that again!" said Sano, a worried expression on his face.

"Yeah! What if something had happened?!" asked Yahiko.

"Misao … are you okay?" Misao grinned sheepishly at Sano and Yahiko, and nodded at Kenshin.

"Yes, I'm fi – " Mrs. Makimachi opened the door, a small smile on her face. The smile disappeared when she saw Misao, helped by Aoshi and Soujirou.

"What did you do _now_?" she asked, looking worriedly at her daughter. Misao grinned sheepishly at her mother's words, but the grin vanished the moment she saw the worry in her eyes … the worry mixed together with fatigue.

"Nothing … I – I just asked Aoshi and Soujirou to help me … instead of me walking …" she said, hurriedly, before anyone could say anything. The look Soujirou gave her was enough to make Mrs. Makimachi suspicious.

"Soujirou, what happened?" she asked. Soujirou felt Misao stiffen.

"Er … she couldn't walk, so she asked us to help her," he said, focusing his gaze on Misao instead. Aoshi glanced at him, surprised. Mrs. Makimachi sighed. She should have known better than to ask Soujirou about it – of course he would take her daughter's side.

"Come on in," she said, smiling weakly at them. Kaoru watched as Aoshi didn't look at her. She couldn't help but smile. Was it merely a _coincidence_ that Aoshi was there whenever Misao needed help …?

She felt warm inside her as she saw the quick glances Aoshi was giving Soujirou … not to mention the quick glances Misao was giving Aoshi. This was really going _somewhere_ … without her needing to get involved.

"Soujirou … why don't … why don't you let Aoshi san do that – you must be tired …" she said, smiling as she watched Misao glare at her. Soujirou, being the person he was, didn't get the hint she was trying to pass … and Aoshi, being the person _he_ was … _got_ the hint that was being passed by Kaoru, and glared in her direction. Mrs. Makimachi, Sano, Yahiko and Kenshin stared at Kaoru.

"Iie … I can manage …" said Soujirou, smiling. Misao glared daggers, spears, kunai and swords at Kaoru, wondering what the best way to torture her was.

" … Hold on tight to her …" said Aoshi, talking to Soujirou.

"Eh?"

"I'm letting go …" said Aoshi. Soujirou nodded. Mrs. Makimachi smiled, having a _feeling_ she knew what was going on.

"No! Don't do that!" said Kaoru. "Aoshi san – it would be best for Misao chan to get all the help – "

"No, I'll tell you what – how about I go by _myself_?" asked Misao.

"No!" She winced as the seven voices said the word as one.

"Okay, okay …" grumbled. "But it isn't a nice feeling being held up like a sack of potatoes you know …" Soujirou grinned apologetically.

"Sorry …"

"Aoshi, Soujirou, could you both help get Misao upstairs to her room?" asked Mrs. Makimachi. "I'll just get Suzume and Ayame inside." Soujirou nodded, and Aoshi had no choice but to do the same. Tightening his grip on her, he and Soujirou walked inside the house, a confused Yahiko, Kenshin and Sano following them, along with a giggling Kaoru.

* * *

He stood outside the room, his expression blank. Through the window at the end of the corridor, he could see that the evening was upon them. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door. The room was dark, even though the soft pink curtains were opened. Even in the dark, he knew where the light switch was. Flicking it on, he winced slightly at the light seeped into every corner of the room.

He took his first look at his sister's room … after the day she had fatefully died, leaving him all alone. The comfortable looking bed with its soft pink and lilac bedspread lay neatly on top of each other – his sister had made her bed before … she had left on the 'date.' He took an uncertain step forward, his eyes feeling heavy, and his heart feeling heavier.

He glanced at the bedside table closest to him and smiled softly as he saw the framed picture on it. It was a picture of his sister … holding him when he was six years old. His gaze went to the picture next to it, and his smile disappeared as his heart hardened. His sister was leaning against a male, a happy smile on her face. The male, in return, had his arm around her, and was smiling innocently as well. He scowled as he took in the man's red hair and pleasant features.

It was his fault … his fault that he lost his sister, his only family.

In a fit of anger, he reached forward and slapped the picture off the bedside table. He watched as it fell, in slow motion. It hit the ground with a soft thud, causing a crack to appear in the glass frame. He smiled in satisfaction as the crack appeared on the glass covering the _man's_ face.

He would make him pay … he had vowed that he would, the day his sister had died. He would make him pay for what he did to his dear sister … if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

**A/N**

Heh … I _had_ to include this part about Enishi … sorry if I shouldn't have! Heh, this was longer than the other chapter, wasn't it? I'm sure it was. I wonder what'll be going through Aoshi's head now … about _helping_ Misao … _with_ Soujirou!

Well, hope you liked that!

See ya!

Siriusgirl1


	14. No Change

**A/N**

Here's chapter thirteen! I'm sorry for not updating sooner … but I had a small accident. I know it's stupid … but I was trying to cut some 'screen tone' pasted on one of the pictures I was drawing … and I kind of cut four of my fingers with the blade. That only resulted in blood messing up the picture, the blade being taken away from me, and me being unable to type properly.

I hope this chapter's okay, coz I had to type it slowly … and it is a bit shorter than the previous one, but I _will_ make it up in the next chapter … it's just that my fingers kinda hurt.

**mrs. b: **I am telling you the world is GOING to END. You actually read at least a chapter of my story!!! Heh ... thanks! You _could_ keep on reading, you know! And tell me what you think I should do ... (something which i've been asking you to do for YEARS). Heh, thanks for the review, and hope you like this!

**kitsune kenshin: **Before anything else, are you alright? I heard about the typhoon/tornado thing in Florida and remembered that your profile said that you were from there ... Heh ... yes, I did feel sorry for Will at that point. He didn't need to make it _that_ blunt (Jack). I also liked the part where Jack fights Will at the blacksmith's place and Jack asks him 'who makes all these?' (meaning the swords) and Will goes 'I do ... and I practice with them three hours a day!' and Jack replies 'You need to find yourself a girl, mate.' Heh ... they should hurry up and make a sequel to that! I can't wait!

I know that there's nothing wrong with Hiko being 'bullied' by girls. It's just that the thought struck me as being amusing. Heh, thanks for your review! (i'll type more in the next chapter when my fingers get better, if it's okay with you).

**Oniwabanshu**: Thank you for your review! And ... please don't use your kodachis and kunais on me this time ... maybe next time, please? Heh ... yes, you _were_ right about Aoshi helping Misao! (Hmmm ... i wouldn't advise being less like you and more like me ... i think the world's had enough of _one_ of me ... ). Sorry about the length of this chapter ... but i'll make it up. I promise!

**minna san: **Thanks for your review and for correcting me. I'll remember it for future use. Thanks!

**Leila Jenkens: **Sorry that this chapter's not as long as the others ... and like i said before, i;ll make the next one longer. Thanks for the review!

**sess tiger: **Thanks! Tokio and Saito ... could be ...enishi facing kenshin ... hmm ... Hope u like this too!

**Illusions-chan: **Heh ... thanks for all the compliments! I kind of liked the 'thought' of Aoshi and Saito being related (imagine if it _were_ real ... poor misao ...) and I was trying to make Soujirou's and Misao's characters seem that way. I'm glad it worked!

**Hitokirisky: **Yes, I was thinking that I was making Saito a little too mean ... heh ... thanks for the reivew!

**jt: **Oh, he will help her more ... thanks for the review!

**sonia: **Heh ... I wouldn't say that Saito's going to get _pounded_! Heh ... and I completely understand Aoshi's frustration. Thanks again for your review!

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: No Change**

****

****

Hiko glowered at Nakamura sensei, an almost 'evil' aura surrounding him. He didn't care whatever impression he was giving off to the Head of the Sports department. What he cared about, was that the fool wasn't letting him do what he wanted to …

"And _why_ can't you dismiss him?" he asked, harshly.

"Because, whether you like it or not, he _is_ the athletics captain," said Nakamura sensei. "He will remain the captain, if not until the end of the year, until the tournament is over."

"But I'm _telling_ you, we _won't_ win with _him_ as our captain," said Hiko.

"You had nothing against him when we selected him as the captain, so why are you complaining about him now?" asked Nakamura sensei, looking thoughtfully at him.

"That was because we didn't know a _single_ thing about him when he _joined_ school," said Hiko sensei. "You don't know what my team has told me – and I assure you, my team does _not_ lie."

"What did your team say about him?" Hiko smiled grimly.

"To tell you will take a long time," he said. "But they basically said that he was making stupid decisions and forcing them to do stupid things." Nakamura sensei frowned.

"Who told you that?" he asked.

"Who? My team who else?"

"No, I meant the names …" said Nakamura sensei. Hiko frowned this time. He didn't mind giving him the names, but he _did_ mind the fact that the _creature_ was taking a long time arguing with him about keeping Saito on the team.

" … Makimachi …" he said. Nakamura sensei looked quizzically at him. "Makimachi Misao …" Hiko glared at him. "Why do you want to – "

"I am sorry, Hiko san," said Nakamura sensei, shaking his head. "But … it is against the school's rules to change captains without having proof of whatever it was that they – "

"Proof? You want proof? I can arrange that," said Hiko, looking relieved. Nakamura sensei shook his head again.

"And it is _also_ not allowed to change captains so suddenly – especially with a tournament coming up," he said. "I know that you haven't understood what I've tried to tell you, but do you know what will happen if the team loses again, after we remove Saito from his captaincy? Everyone will say that it was our fault, for changing the captains …"

"And if we lose with _Saito_ as the captain, no one will ever say it was because Saito captained the team that we lost," added Hiko.

"Once again, Hiko san, I am sorry," said Nakamura sensei. "That is my final word on this matter … although, once this tournament is finished, I will ask your team if he _really_ is as bad as you say he is, and then take the necessary action to deal with him …" Hiko said nothing. He _couldn't_ say anything. Not because he was at a loss for words – well, he _was_ at a loss for words, but it was because of the unfairness of the whole thing. He knew that Nakamura sensei wouldn't change his mind; that Saito would captain the team for the tournament.

What the _dolt_ didn't know was that there _wouldn't_ be a team if Saito remained as the captain.

"There won't _be_ a team to participate in the tournament …" he said, icily. "If you don't do anything …" With a curt nod, he walked off, leaving a resigned Nakamura sensei behind. The only thing he did – that Hiko _approved_ of – was cancel the detentions that he had given Sano and Yahiko.

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

"Kenshin! Kenshin! Over here!" called Yahiko, as he, Sano and Soujirou turned around and spotted Kenshin walking towards the field. The red haired vice-captain smiled as he saw his friends.

"You guys look cheerful …" he commented.

"Duh! You're going to be our new captain!" said Sano, grinning.

"Oro?"

"Oh come on, don't act so modest," said Yahiko. "You know that, being the vice-captain, now that Saito's history, you'll be the captain!"

"D – Demo – "

"They're right Kenshin," added Soujirou. "And, quite frankly, I'm happy that we're going to have a _decent_ captain …" Kenshin shook his head. How could they be so optimistic?

"I don't think that I'll – "

"Oh shut up," said Sano, good-naturedly. "Come on, let's go – sensei's already there!" They hurried towards the field, where Hiko Seijiro and the rest of the team were already gathered. Kenshin spotted Fujita Tokio standing next to Aoshi, in the crowd and smiled. Great … now all he needed to find was a runner for the Under 17 group.

"Heh … just wait until sensei announ …" Yahiko's voice died out in his throat as he saw the tall figure standing beside Hiko sensei. He blinked twice, thinking he was seeing things. He soon knew he wasn't.

"What the #$%#?!!!" growled Sano, clearly having seen him as well. Soujirou sweat dropped.

"What _is_ he doing here?" he asked, softly. Kenshin said nothing, as his mind whirled with questions. He had thought that Hiko sensei would have done something about Saito by now … not that he wanted to become the captain or anything. He had just thought that Saito would have been punished for his behaviour … but it appeared that he hadn't been punished. Why else would he stand beside Hiko sensei with _that_ smirk on his face?

"Are we all here?" asked Hiko sensei, looking around the crowd. They all nodded. "Good … now, as you may or may _not_ be knowing, the trials for the tournament are in nine days – "

"What?!"

"Nine days?! But I thought we had 14 days!"

"We can't do anything in nine days!"

"Sensei – " Kenshin sweat dropped as he saw Hiko's eyebrows twitch. He knew from experience that talking _too_ much, _and_ _that_ loud … was not something that Hiko Seijiro liked. At all.

"Are YOU doing the talking, or am I doing it?!" asked Hiko, glowering at them all. No one said anything, allowing him to continue. "_Good_. Now … as you _might_ have noticed – though I don't think you have – we have a lot of work to do for the trials. And I _mean_ a lot of work to do." He looked at everyone standing in front of him. "And, no matter what we do … we _will_ win this tournament. To win, however, we need to practice. We will be training rigorously from now until the tournament is over, though that _does not_ mean that we will be having _extra_ practice, though I will call for extra practices if I feel they are needed." He turned to the team. "Any questions?"

Kenshin's eyes almost popped out of his head as he saw Sano raise his hand. The glint in his eyes told him that his 'question' wasn't going to be a good one.

"Who's captaining the team?" asked Sano, a scowl on his face. Kenshin, turning to face his sensei and Saito, saw the 'captain's' eyes narrow at Sano. Hiko frowned as well.

"Your current captain," he said. Yahiko's mouth dropped wide open, following Sano's. Aoshi said nothing as he felt the team's spirit go down. He frowned. With this level of morale, they were _no _where _near_ winning the tournament. Hiko shook his head. It was difficult for him to reprimand Sano for asking the question, especially since he was still angry with the fact that Saito was still the captain. "Today, I will be dividing you into your groups – Under 19 Girls and Boys, Under 18 Girls and Boys and Under 17 Girls and Boys." He sighed. "I know that Makimachi – " he cursed Saito mentally. " – isn't here for the Under 17 girls … but I have acquired a 'backup' runner for her." He nodded at a girl with short brown hair. "And the rest of you, you already know what teams you are in … though the Under 18 Girls need - "

"Sensei?" called Kenshin. Hiko looked all around for his 'star' athlete, unable to see him. Kenshin made his way forward, well aware that the students standing in front of him were … _taller_ than him, and stood facing his coach. "The Under 18 Girls' team _has_ another runner. Fujita Tokio san …" he said, turning around and motioning for Tokio to step forward, which she did.

Hiko looked at her through slightly narrowed eyes. "Did you do a sport before this?" he asked. Tokio nodded.

"I was a member of the basketball team before this …" she said. Hiko smiled.

"Good …" he said. "Right, now, I want you all to separate yourselves into the categories I just mentioned; Under 17, 18 and 19 Girls and Boys, and start practicing." He took a deep breath. "The Under 19's will try the hurdles, the Under 18's will do the 4 into 100 meter relays, and the rest of you will practice your mixed relays."

"Hai, sensei!" Hiko watched them walk away in their different directions. Saito started moving, heading towards the hurdles, when the coach's voice stopped him.

"I'm _watching_ you, Saito …" he said. Saito smirked, though he had to use almost _all_ of his will power to bite back the reply that came to the tip of his tongue. Shaking his head, he walked away.

* * *

"That was just _stupid_!!" grumbled Sano, not in a good mood.

"I _know_! You'd think, that after _all_ he's done to us – _and_ after all Misao told Sensei about _him_ … " Yahiko broke off, glaring at the ground. Kenshin shook his head.

"Well … I guess what Sensei said _was_ right …" he said. "I mean, it _is_ against school rules to suddenly change a captain – especially when a tournament as big as this is coming u – " He stopped when he saw the glares Sano and Yahiko were sending his way.

"Stop being so 'cool' about it!" snapped Yahiko.

"Yeah! Especially when you know that you deserve that captaincy – more than he does!" Kenshin scratched his head sheepishly.

"Oro?" Soujirou sighed as he listened to Sano and Yahiko. Just the other day, they had walked home looking 'drunk on happiness' and today … he glanced at Aoshi, who was walking next to him, looking deep in thought.

"Aoshi? Is something … wrong?" he asked, smiling. Aoshi didn't even look at him, making him think something _really_ was wrong. "Er – Aoshi?"

" … What?" asked Aoshi, glancing _briefly_ at him. Soujirou smiled, though he was somewhat taken aback … at his tone of voice.

"Ano … I just wanted to know if – "

"No, nothing's wrong," said Aoshi, coldly. _As if I'd tell you if something _is_ wrong_ … Soujirou nodded, though this time, a small frown was on his face. He may be called _too_ peaceful, sweet and 'demented' (for smiling all the time) … but he _wasn't_ an idiot. No, he certainly wasn't an idiot. This was why he had noticed Aoshi's rather … strange behaviour towards him. He noticed that whenever Aoshi was talking to someone else, he wasn't as _civil_ and cold as he was when he was talking to him.

He racked his brain, trying to figure out a _reason_ for him to act that way towards him. He had spoken normally to him when they had first met … _and_ when Sano had tried attacking Saito … and during practice …

Then _when_ did he speak _coldly_ to him?

That day during break … he had spoken rather 'detachedly' when addressing him. Soujirou frowned. What had he done to make him angry with him that day? Or the day before that? He hadn't spoken to him after practice … so he was sure he hadn't said something he wasn't supposed to when they were wal – ah, he _did_ seem him at Misao's house. Soujirou was sure though, that he hadn't said anything to Aoshi when he had come to give Misao the 'Romeo and Juliet' textbook. Then why …?

Not to mention when he had helped him help Misao to her room the other day … Soujirou frowned again. Aoshi had given off a cold aura whenever he had looked at him … Had he done anything to anger him? He was sure he hadn't? His eyes widened. Unless … unless Aoshi _dis_liked Misao … and didn't like anyone helping her …

He shook his head. That didn't make sense. If it _was_ true, then why had _he_ helped her in the first place?

" – are you listening to me Soujirou?" Soujirou started.

"Huh?" Yahiko sighed.

"I thought not …" he muttered. Soujirou scratched his head, sheepishly realizing that he hadn't been paying the _slightest_ attention to what his friends had been saying.

"Gomen …"

"Here we are – Misao's place," said Kenshin, as they stopped walking. Aoshi turned to his right, heading for the Kamiya Residence. "Aoshi … aren't you coming?" Aoshi shook his head, this time _determined_ not to allow Kenshin to lead him anywhere.

"No … I have some work to do …" he said. Seeing the look on his face (a look which said; 'argue-as-much-as-you-like-but-I-won't-change-my-mind) Kenshin sighed and nodded. Soujirou, though, didn't get the hint.

"Why aren't you coming, Aoshi?" he asked. "I mean … don't you want to see how Misao is doing?" Aoshi glared at the gate he had turned to stare at. He didn't know _why_ … but the last comment – about him not wanting to see how Misao was – made him want to let out a low …_ hiss_ … or rather, a growl.

" … I'll see you tomorrow …" he said, turning to nod at Kenshin, and ignoring Soujirou in the process.

"Hai," said Kenshin, smiling. Soujirou watched as Aoshi leapt over the short gate and walked towards the front door. He had done it again … tensed up and ignored him completely.

"Well? Shall we go?" asked Yahiko, rather impatiently. They all nodded, though Kenshin cast Soujirou a curious look as they walked to Misao's gate.

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

"Misao, do you think Aoshi san will come to see you today?" teased Kaoru, from her place seated on a chair next to Misao's bed. Misao glared at her, feeling a _little_ too weak to throw anything at her. Walking down the stairs and around the garden _twice_ in one day, with the injuries _she_ had, would make _anyone_ feel weak.

"I don't _care_!" she grumbled. Kaoru raised an eyebrow as Megumi smiled in her 'foxy' way. She had come to see Misao with Kaoru, and had _'accidentally' _asked her about 'her' Aoshi … After exploding around twice, and trying to beat Kaoru up quite a few times, she had denied it all to Megumi. Unfortunately for her, Megumi was _twice_ as cunning and evil as Kaoru, and had _made_ her admit that she _did_ like Aoshi. Megumi had been told – by Kaoru – about the 'incident' that had taken place in the garden yesterday (after several more attempts Misao made to beat Kaoru up).

"Really? You _really_ don't care?" asked Megumi. "So it … wouldn't matter if – "

"Okay, okay!" said Misao, interrupting her before she could continue. "Keep it down! Thanks to your … _stunt_ yesterday, Kachan was asking me all kinds of _weird_ questions!" She pointed at a surprised Kaoru.

"Really? What did she ask?" she asked. Misao shrugged slightly.

"Oh, things along the lines of 'who is Shinomori Aoshi,' 'does he dislike Soujirou for some reason,' 'how does he know Kaoru chan,' and so on," she said. "No _thanks_ to _you_!" Kaoru grinned sheepishly.

"Heh … Kachan was asking me the same thing!" she said. She immediately wished she hadn't as Misao shot her a particularly _bad_ glare. Megumi shook her head.

"_When_ will you learn, Kaoru?" she muttered.

"W – _what_?!" spluttered Misao. "Y – You – Kamiya san – KAORUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!" Kaoru winced, resisting the urge to cover her ears as Misao screamed.

"Er … "

"Kaoru! You didn't! _Please_ tell me you didn't!" begged Misao. Kaoru looked sheepish.

"Well – she was the one that told me about the 'burglar' thing …" she said. "You know what; you can thank her that I was reminded of that …"

"That – that's not the point here!" said Misao. "Kamiya san – now – I will – I won't be able to come over to your house again!"

"That's slightly _exaggerated _don't you think, Misao chan?" asked Kaoru. Misao's glare intensified. Megumi chuckled.

"Do you intend on telling him that you like him, Misao?" she asked. Misao turned red as she shook her head.

"H – How can I do _that_?" she asked. Megumi said nothing. Misao was right. Telling a _normal_ person that you liked them was … 'okay' but telling _Aoshi_ that … she could imagine him building a thick, brick wall around himself for safety.

"True …" she said. Kaoru shook her head, grinning evilly.

"She might not need to tell him, Megumi," she said. "He just might tell _her_ that!" Misao shook her head vehemently. That would be the day …

"Time to get back to the _real_ world, Kaoru," she said. Megumi nodded. She thought that the chances of Aoshi saying that were pretty low. Not that she _didn't_ want Aoshi to tell Misao he 'liked' her … she just didn't think that he was the type of person that would say that.

"What we need to do, Kaoru," she said. "Is to make sure the two of them get to spend time together …" she said.

"True … I mean, as it is, they only see each other when Kenshin and the others come to visit her," said Kaoru. Misao flushed.

"But how do we get them to see each other instead of with other people around?" asked Megumi.

"Hmmm … I sent him to see her once saying that she needed some text book or something …" said Kaoru. Misao turned red, the memory of her asking him to stay for dinner still fresh in her mind.

"But you can't keep on doing that _everyday_ …" said Megumi. "But there's no other way to get them together …"

"If we 'plan' their meetings once or twice, they'll get to know each other … and then they'll _want_ to meet …" said Kaoru. Misao had had enough.

"_Hallo_!!! I _am_ here you know!" she said.

"And imagine … after that …" said Megumi.

"Yeah … I wonder if we'll get any credit when they _do_ get together …" mused Kaoru.

"Once you've _finished_ discussing Aoshi and I!!!" exclaimed Misao.

"Oro?!"

"M – Misao?"

"Ano …"

"Er – " If there ever was a day when Misao wished the ground would open up and swallow her bed _and_ her at the same time, it was now (and there would, of course, be more times in the future when she would wish for the same thing … heh heh). Kenshin, Sano, Soujirou and Yahiko stood at the doorway to the room, looking at Misao, the expressions on their faces, and their words from before clearly telling her that they had heard what she had said.

"Why me …" she groaned.

"Misao? Did … you just say … what I thought you said?" asked Sano, looking _startled_. Misao turned red.

"Er … would you believe me if I said 'no?'" she asked. Sano shook his head. "I thought so …"

"Kaoru, Megumi …" said Kenshin, smiling at them, before turning to Misao again. "Misao how is your leg?"

"It's … er … its okay …" she said, giving Kenshin the impression that she had just realized that she had an _injured_ knee. Yahiko plopped down on the ground next to Misao's bed, grinning.

"So … what was that you were saying about Aoshi?" he asked.

"Noth – "

"Misao likes Aoshi san," said Kaoru, grinning. Megumi closed her eyes as she anticipated Misao 'killing' Kaoru this time.

"**KAORUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!**" Sano grinned aloud.

"Haha! It's true then! Oh man! I _don't_ believe this!" he said, looking as though his 'birthday' had come early. "Does he kn – heh! Yesterday he – aww … your 'knight' saved you yesterday, didn't he, Misao?"

"Sou helped me too!" snapped Misao. Soujirou scratched his head as everyone turned to look at him. He didn't mind the fact that Yahiko, Sano and Kenshin were looking at him … but … Kaoru and Megumi, looking at him with those _evil_ grins on their faces made him fight the urge to dig a burrow in the ground and crawl into it.

"Yeah … that's why Aoshi doesn't like Soujirou too much," said Megumi, smiling.

"Oro?!"

"Eh?" asked Soujirou, surprised.

"Hey! Was that why you told us that Aoshi thought Misao and Soujirou were going out?" asked Sano, turning to Kaoru. "During practice yesterday?" Kaoru nodded, grinning.

"Ohh … so _that's_ why Aoshi _always_ acts cold towards Soujirou …" said Yahiko. He slapped Soujirou on the back just as he was about to sit down on the side of the bed.

"Yahiko …" said Soujirou, rubbing the sore spot. "Demo … why is _that_ any reason for Aoshi to hate me?"

"You mean … you don't get it?" asked Kaoru, frowning slightly.

"Soujirou, we _all_ get it, and you don't?" asked Yahiko.

"I don't understand it either …" said Kenshin, softly. Sano let out a long sigh. Honestly, those two were more alike than they knew it.

"Man … you two are hopeless …" he grumbled.

"Oro?"

"Eh?" Megumi sighed.

"Misao like Aoshi," she said. "Aoshi thinks that Misao likes Soujirou." She looked at Soujirou, smiling at the cute expression of confusion on his face. "Soujirou thinks Aoshi _dis_likes him for some reason …" She smiled evilly. "What he _doesn't_ know is that Aoshi is _jealous _of Soujirou's close relationship with Misao."

"He asked me – when he saw Soujirou at Misao's place one night – during dinner, if Misao and Soujirou were going out," added Kaoru. "And yesterday – you all saw the brief glare he gave Soujirou, didn't you?" Soujirou scratched his head. These friends of his were _really_ confusing him. Were they saying that Aoshi thought he liked Misao, when Misao really liked Aoshi, and Aoshi kind of liked Misao, but for some reason thought that Misao liked Soujirou too?

He rubbed his temples as his mind screamed out in agony. Now _that_ was confusing.

"Ahh …" said Kenshin, understanding. "Aoshi didn't come here today though … he said he had some work to do …"

"But he _was_ talking to Soujirou before he said that he had some work to do …" said Sano, thinking hard. Yahiko grinned, catching on.

"So that means that he didn't come because Soujirou was coming as well …" he said. Misao looked at Soujirou, her eyebrows raised. Soujirou misinterpreted the look and looked apologetic.

"Gomen … maybe I shouldn't have come then," he said, scratching his head. Misao shook her head so fast she was sure she would get a headache in a little while.

"No! It's a good thing that you came!" she said. "Who cares if Aoshi doesn't come?" Kaoru, Megumi, Sano and Yahiko exchanged glances as they listened to Misao.

Did she _really_ mean that?

"Do you _mean_ that, Misao chan?" asked Kaoru. Misao flushed. She had been asking herself the same question.

"Well … I meant to say … that friends come first …" she said. Kenshin smiled.

"That's good, Misao …" he said. "Friends _do_ come first …" Sano quirked an eyebrow.

"So … we come before Kaoru?" Misao grinned as Kaoru _and_ Kenshin turned red. Megumi smiled as well – something which Yahiko found surprising, since he had thought that Megumi liked Kenshin too.

"I don't think Saito thinks the same about friends …" he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. Misao heard him, however.

"Oh yeah … who's the new captain? Kenshin?" she asked, grinning at him. Sano, Yahiko and Soujirou's faces changed immediately.

"No, Saito's still the captain …" said Kenshin.

"What?! Why?!"

"Apparently Nakamura sensei has said that they can't change captains when the tournament is so close," said Yahiko.

"So we're still stuck with _dear_ old Saito …" muttered Sano. Kenshin sighed.

"Well … he wasn't _that_ bad during today's practice …" he said.

"That's because Sensei was there," muttered Yahiko.

"Ah … true …"

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

Aoshi walked out of his room a few minutes after Kamiya san called them for dinner. He had, surprisingly, managed to finish _almost_ all of his homework, and all he had left to do was to go through some last minute chemistry notes – for the 'test' they were having the next day. Closing his room door behind him, he walked down the corridor, when he heard Kamiya san call them again.

"Aoshi! Kaoru!" Turning around, he walked towards Kaoru's door and knocked on it.

"Haiiiiii!" He heard the slamming of books, before the door was opened and Kaoru rushed out, crashing into him. "Itai – ah, Aoshi san …" Aoshi nodded.

"Dinner's ready …" he said. Kaoru nodded, grinning evilly. Closing the door behind her, she walked beside him. Aoshi took his time walking down the corridor – not that he enjoyed spending time with Kaoru … he just didn't want Mr. Kamiya to think something if he saw them walking together. Knowing _his_ luck, it _could_ happen.

"Aoshi san … why are you walking so slowly?" she asked.

" … … …" Was he supposed to say 'it's because I don't want your father blaming me for something again?' " … Why don't you go ahead?" he asked instead, stopping all together.

"Eh? Why?" asked Kaoru, stopping as well. Aoshi sighed as he looked at her puzzled blue eyes, darker than his own. Didn't she _understand_?

" … Your father … he might … _think_ something …" he said. Kaoru furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, before she understood what he was saying.

"Oh …" she said, sighing. "Okay …" She walked hurriedly towards the stairs. Waiting for a few minutes, he followed her, hoping Mr. Kamiya wouldn't start saying that he was watching his daughter from behind.

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

"I WANT THAT!"

"NO, IT'S MINE!!"

"MINE!"

"MINE!" He looked up from the paper he was reading, his head throbbing as he heard the yelling. Did the people up in the sky _hate_ him this much? Standing up, he walked away from the desk he was seated at, and walked into the living room, closing his eyes as he saw the 'situation' there. As it was, there were soup and milk stains all over the couch which he usually liked sleeping on when he got home from practice late.

Walking to the room that he had given to the two children, he stood outside it, taking a deep breath and mentally repeat; _'no matter what happens, I will not lose my temper. No matter what happens, I will not lose my temper …'_

Peering in through the door, he sighed again. This was _not_ good.

"Suzume! Give it to me!"

"No, it's mine!"

"That pillow is MINE!!!"

"It doesn't have your name on it!"

"It doesn't have _your_ name either!" This would have been amusing – really amusing – if it hadn't been happening to him. As it was, the two girls were standing on the bed, arguing with each other. He frowned as he saw Ayame close to the edge of the bed, trying to pull the blue pillow away from her sister. Suzume, it appeared, wasn't about to give in.

"MINE!!!"

"MINE!!!" And that was when Ayame lost her balance … and fell. He moved forward, effortlessly catching her before she fell. Suzume looked somewhat frightened as she saw her older sister's eyes closed.

"Neechan … neechan?" she whimpered. Hiko stared at the little girl in his arms. Ayame opened her eyes slowly, enabling him to see the frightened tears in her huge eyes. He sighed inwardly, wondering for the _millionth_ time if his cousin had done the right thing in asking _him_ to look after them.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. Ayame nodded slowly.

"Go-gomen, Uncle Sei … I should have been more careful …" Hiko sighed inwardly again. There she went again, blaming herself for everything. True, this _had_ been because of her carelessness, but if Suzume spilt milk on something, or did something wrong, she would still take the blame, and say she was sorry. Even when she _didn't_ do it.

"I won't say you're wrong," he said at last. "About being more careful …" Ayame looked at her hands. "But, they always say that you learn from your mistakes …" he said, hurriedly. "And I'm sure you won't be fighting with Suzume on the _edge_ of the bed again … right?" he asked, lightly. Ayame nodded meekly. "Good. Now why don't you two stop fighting over the pillow? Is it _really_ that important?"

"No … but neechan like it … so … so I thought I wanted it …" said Suzume, childishly. Hiko rolled his eyes – mentally of course. Great. Now it was a _competition_ they were having …

"Well, there's another pillow over there Suzume," he said, calmly. "Why don't you take that and let neechan have this?"

"Iie … she can have this if she – " Hiko shook his head sternly at her.

"Don't give in to _all_ of her demands," he whispered, whilst Suzume was looking at the other pillow. "That'll _definitely_ be a problem when you two are older. She'll become a spoilt brat." Ayame smiled as she imagined an older Suzume bossing _her_ around.

"Hai …" she said. Hiko, seeing Suzume satisfied with the other pillow, and Ayame not about to give in to her sister, stood up, placing Ayame on the bed.

"In ten minutes, it's 'lights out' for you two, okay?" he asked. Ayame nodded.

"Hai," she said. Satisfied, Hiko walked out of the room wondering if he'd find his head full of grey hairs next week, what with all of his 'problems.'

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

Kenshin walked out of the bathroom dressed in dark green shorts, his usual smile on his face. Switching off the bathroom light and closing the door behind him, he walked into his room. Pulling the towel off his shoulders, he pulled on a t-shirt and ran a hand through his orange/red hair. Looking at the clock on his wall, he saw that it was 9:47 p.m.

He hadn't realized that time was flying when he had been doing his homework _and_ studying for the chemistry test his class was having the next day. Just when he thought he was _finally_ concentrating, the phone had rung. Talking to Shogo, at some times, was similar to talking to a 'non-stop' train.

They had discussed their class, their teachers, the 'unfairness' of the fact that Shogo had got a detention for talking in class, whereas Kenshin hadn't (to be honest, Kenshin was rather relieved about that), and, finally, about their chemistry test. They had spent half an hour asking each other chemistry questions, and, after _that_ was done, he had gone and had a shower.

Sighing, Kenshin sat down on his bed, feeling rather tired after so much of work. As he looked absently around the room, his eyes landed on the framed pictures on his bedside table, beside his lamp. One was of him, Misao, Soujirou, Kaoru, Sano, Yahiko and Megumi. The other … he frowned. The other was of a beautiful black haired girl, with her long raven hair tied in a low ponytail. He had his arm around her, and had a smile on his face … his face which didn't have a cross-shaped scar on it.

He touched his scar absently, as the memory of _that_ night entered his head again.

**Flashback:**

_"Kenshin! You got your license!" exclaimed the girl, smiling at him. Kenshin nodded, grinning._

_"Aa …" he said. Yukishiro Tomoe looked at the license he held in his hand._

_"Shall we go for a ride?" she asked. He looked at her, surprised._

_"A … ride?" he asked. She nodded._

_"Hai … in celebration of you getting the license," she said. "We could rent a car or something … and go …" Kenshin looked doubtful as Enishi walked into the room, glaring at him and smiling at his sister. "Here's your glass of fruit juice, Enishi …" said Tomoe, handing him the glass with a loving smile. He was only two years younger than her, but she treated him like a little boy._

_"Arigato … neesan …" said Enishi, smiling back at her._

_"Demo … I'm not sure if it'll be safe, Tomoe …" said Kenshin, frowning slightly. Tomoe shook her head._

_"Of course it will be," she said. "You do have your license after all …" Enishi looked up, inquisitively._

_"Demo, Tomoe … what if something – "_

_"Kenshin …" said Tomoe, cupping his cheek in her hand. "It will be fine … trust me …" Kenshin sighed as Tomoe looked pleadingly at him._

_"I … guess I could hire a car …" he said, at last. Tomoe smiled._

_"That would be nice …" she said. _

_"Neesan! What are you saying?" asked Enishi, looking worriedly at her. _

_"Enishi – "_

_"Don't go neesan! Don't go with him! Please!" pleaded Enishi, sounding like a little boy. "Something might happen! If … if something happens to you – who … who will I have?" Exchanging glances with Kenshin, Tomoe moved to her brother, smiling gently at him as she held his hand in hers._

_"Nothing will happen to me, Enishi," she said, comfortingly._

_"Demo – "_

_"I won't leave you Enishi," she continued. "Kenshin won't let me leave you … or him …" Kenshin smiled at Tomoe's faith in him. Looking at the siblings once more, he stood up and walked quietly out of the room, leaving them alone. _

_Now where was he going to hire a car from?_

Kenshin snapped out of his 'flashback' and was surprised to find the picture of him and Tomoe in his hands. He sighed sadly, his eyes downcast. If only he had listened to his instinct … instead of listening to Tomoe … for that 'first drive' of his … had – had …

He squeezed his eyes shut. It had claimed her life.

He had tried speaking to Enishi, to apologize for everything … but the boy had snubbed him. He had said that he would _never_ forgive him. He couldn't argue with him. He was right to feel that way – it was his own sister that had died. That … he had … killed.

His eyes fell on the picture of him and his friends, and especially on the figure of Kaoru in it. He smiled softly as he thought of the quick-tempered, sweet … and caring girl. If something were to happen to her too … he shuddered. No, nothing was going to happen to her. He wouldn't let anything happen to her.

* * *

**A/N**

****

Well ... I hope you liked that ... and once again, sorry about the length, but I WILL extend the next one!

see ya then

siriusgirl1


	15. Problems from the Past

**A/N**

Hallo! I am BACK! (Dodging the kodachis, kunai and sakabatous thrown at her …) I am not going to ask for forgiveness for not updating, 'coz I don't really think that I deserve it. I'm _really_ _really_ sorry for not updating, but, since I only finished my AS levels on the 6th of June, I really didn't have time.

Thanks for everyone that reviewed the last chapter! I hope this chapter is okay, although it doesn't have Misao in it … (she _will_ be there in the next chapter though).

Well … here it is; chapter fourteen!

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: Problems from the Past**

He closed the door behind him, and walked down the corridor, heading for the stairs quietly, hoping that no one heard him. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. It was bad enough that Hiko-sensei was now 'watching' his every move … and that the annoying chicken brain and brat were acting as though everything was going to go _their_ way … he didn't need to be -

"Hajime?" he stopped in his tracks as his mother poked her head out of the kitchen, seeing him.

"Hai?" he asked, turning around slowly.

"Did you just get home?" asked Mrs. Saito, smiling at him. He nodded.

"Yeah …"

"Well why don't you just come in to the kitchen for a while? And perhaps have something to eat or drink?" asked Mrs. Saito.

"I have a lot of – "

"Oh come on Hajime, I haven't spoken to my son in _ages_," interrupted his mother, frowning slightly. "I don't even know what's going on in his life anymore … and I don't really like that." Saito stared at his mother for a moment, without saying anything. Was it _his_ fault that he wasn't the type to have 'heart-to-heart' conversations with people?

" … Okasan I have – "

"Okay, okay, I understand," said Mrs. Saito, placing a fake smile on her face. "You have a lot of work to do. Don't mind me, just go on ahead and finish your work." With a last glance at him, she turned around and walked back into the kitchen. Saito stared after her, a scowl forming on his face. He _hated_ it when parents made their children go on the whole 'guilt-trip' thing. Mentally cursing himself for this 'weakness' in his character, he turned around and followed his mother into the kitchen, and sat down at the small table that was placed in the middle. His mother turned around when she heard him pull out a chair and she positively beamed at him, causing him to avert his gaze, feeling uncomfortable.

" … My life's pretty much the same," he said, after a while, seeing as how that was what his mother wanted to know.

"Really? There's _no_ change in it at _all_?" asked his mother, raising her eyebrows whilst she stirred whatever it was that was in the saucepan.

"No change …" repeated Saito, standing up and walking over to the fridge, and grabbing an apple out of it.

"How are things going with the athletics team? You _are_ the Captain, aren't you?" asked his mother, washing some cutlery with her back to her son, missing the look of annoyance that flashed across his face as she mentioned the athletics team.

" … It's … going well," he said, at last.

"That's good to hear then," said his mum. "I'm sure that your companions in Eigamura must be missing you though …" Saito muffled a snort, not wanting to hurt his mother. Yeah, he was _sure_ that his _companions_ were missing him …

"Hnn …" he said, munching on the apple.

"So, have you seen Aoshi in school?" asked his mother, taking off her apron and sitting down at the table with him. Saito stopped munching on the apple as he stared at her. "Hajime?"

"Yeah, I've see him," he said. "The kid's in the athletics team …"

"Oh that's so good!" exclaimed his mother, smiling widely. "I was hoping he would join the team – that's the _one_ thing that has managed to be consistent throughout his life …"

"Yeah …" mumbled Saito.

"Is he doing well? As in … does he _look_ well? He doesn't look like he's unhappy or ill?" asked his mother, anxiously. It was Saito's time to raise his eyebrows at her.

"I don't know about you, but _I_ never notice _any_ emotion on his face … so I can't tell if he's unhappy or on top of the world," he said.

" … Can you blame the poor boy for not showing any emotion?" asked his mother softly.

"He doesn't look ill though," said Saito, breaking the silence that had surrounded them. His mother sighed in relief.

"At least that's something …" she said. An idea hit Saito at that moment, pushing his annoyance aside as he looked at his mother.

"He seems to be getting along with the girl he's staying with though," he said, choosing his words quietly. His mother's head snapped up, her eyes widening slightly.

"What – what do you mean?" she asked, slowly. Saito sighed.

"Well, you know what I mean. Aoshi's not the type to really socialize with people … he just nods or whatever to people and that's it," he said. "But … he seems to be rather friendly with the girl." He stopped, looking thoughtful. "What's her name again … he said it was – Kyoko … no, it wasn't Kyoko … it was – "

" – Kaoru … Kamiya Kaoru," said Mrs. Saito. Saito nodded.

"Yeah, that's her name. They appear to be rather close … wonder what's going on between them," he said, not feeling bad about lying, to achieve his purpose. "He was wondering why he was sent to live with that family though …" His mother averted her eyes, not looking up at him.

"Really?" she asked, her brows furrowed as a rather alarming thought popped into her head. If Aoshi –

" – going up to have a shower … Okasan?" asked Saito, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Hai?"

"I'm going up now … since you've spoken to your son after a long time and found out what's going on in his life," repeated Saito, standing up and walking out of the kitchen, pleased with his mother's reaction towards what he told her about Aoshi. Mrs. Saito stared after her son, frowning slightly as she ran over what he had told her.

She was glad that Aoshi was doing well – or rather, that he wasn't ill. She knew that despite what he had said about Aoshi being virtually emotionless, Hajime _could_ tell what the boy was feeling, having been raised together with the boy, considering the fact that she had been the 'motherly' figure in Aoshi's life ever since he was a baby.

What worried her was what her son had said about Aoshi's relationship with Kaoru, with Kamiya Kaoru. Her face paled as she remembered catching onto the hint that Hajime had passed about Aoshi's 'close' relationship with Kaoru. It wasn't that she had anything against Kaoru … but she was afraid. From what Hajime had said, Aoshi still hadn't been told about why he was staying at the Kamiya Residence, and she was afraid in case this 'close' relationship between Kaoru and Aoshi grew into … something more.

Her face paled. Their 'close relationship' _couldn't_ be allowed to grow into anything else. They were – they were relat – She stood up hurriedly, a determined expression on her face. She knew what had to be done; for Aoshi's _and_ Kaoru's sakes. Walking out of the kitchen, she headed towards the phone in the living room, hoping that what she was doing was right.

She stopped walking when she was next to the phone, anxiously chewing on her lip. She couldn't just _call_ Kaeri and tell her to tell Aoshi the truth. What if that was rushing things a bit too much, and if Aoshi became scarred – psychologically scarred for the rest of his life? And … if Kaeri told _Aoshi_, she would have to tell Kaoru too … and that would mean that Kaeri's husband would find out too …

She didn't want to ruin Kaeri's marriage, regardless of the fact that it had been an arranged marriage that Kaeri hadn't wanted at all.

"Maybe I should just wait until Tooru gets home …" she mumbled to herself. Yes, that was best; to wait until her husband came home, and to discuss this with him before doing anything. She glanced at the clock on the wall behind her. She _hoped_ Tooru came home early today …

* * *

**Meanwhile, in Toriyama High School:**

"Man … I can't believe that we have to go through all of this training," panted Chou, as he lagged behind the rest of the athletics team that had been asked to run 150 laps around the basketball gym, as the athletics field hadn't been booked for the afternoon practice.

"I get what you mean …" mused Kamatari. "I mean, being the best team out there, who would think that we had to go through such torture?"

"Do you two want to win or what?" drawled Misanagi, slowing down to run alongside them. "I mean, we can't take our fame and position for granted you know …"

"Yeah, but surely we should be allowed _some_ privileges," grumbled Chou.

"Such as shorter and less invigorating practices," added Kamatari.

"Yeah, I mean, how unfair is it that we're _still _practicing at this ungodly hour in the evening?" grumbled Chou. Misanagi shrugged.

"You tell that to sensei," she said, lazily. "I'm not the one that has a problem with this." Shura, running at the head of the group of athletes, glanced worriedly at the pale haired boy running beside her. She could straight-away tell that he wasn't really paying attention to what was going on – he had zoned out, something that he had been doing quite a lot. She had known him since their days in grade-school, and as a result of that, was able to recognize that he had started zoning out every now and then ever since his sister died, two years ago, when they were in Junior High.

"Enishi – hey, Enishi," she called, as she saw a frightening snarl forming on his face. "Enishi!" His head snapped up as he turned to look at her.

"What?" he asked, looking around the basketball gym as though he was surprised to find himself there.

"Listen … is there something wrong?" asked Shura, continuing to run. Enishi snorted.

" … No Shura, my life is _perfectly_ fine," he said, sarcastically. Shura sighed.

"Sarcasm wasn't called for there," she muttered. "Listen, if something's bothering you, talk to someone about it. It doesn't need to be me – just talk to _someone_. It's not good to keep problems inside your head without letting them out."

"Oh, someone's become a professor or psychology," said Enishi, raising an eyebrow at her.

"It's just common sense Enishi," said Shura. "But I'm serious; it's not good to – "

"I heard ya the first time Shura," interrupted Enishi. "But _this_ problem of mine … will be solved soon. There's no need to worry about it …" Shura glanced sharply at him, not liking the dangerous edge that had entered his voice. What did he mean when he said that his problem would be solved soon? She sincerely hoped that he wouldn't do anything stupid.

"Just don't bother about him," said Shozo, catching up with Shura as Enishi sped ahead. "I tried talking to him about this too … he was a _tad_ bit ruder to me than he was to you …"

"I don't like this at all Shozo," said Shura, biting her lip. "I mean, ever since Tomoe-san died, he hasn't been the same. I'm beginning to worry about …" she paused. "I don't want to say this, but I am beginning to worry about his mental condition."

"You're not the only one," agreed Shozo. "I mean, one minute he's normal, the next he zones out, and after that, he gets this murderous glint in his eyes whilst he starts muttering under his breath."

"I wonder _what_ the problem he's having is," wondered Shura. "I mean, I'm sure that he loved Tomoe-san a lot, but surely he can't _still_ be grieving day and night for her …?"

"I really don't kn – "

" – From what I've heard, it's not the loss that's bothering him …" stated a quiet, calm voice from behind them, startling them somewhat. Shura sighed as she saw the tall male standing behind them. She didn't know why, but something about Uonuma Usui freaked her out.

"What do you mean?" asked Shozo, nodding at Usui.

" … He is more concerned with getting revenge for his sister's death, than with feeling empty without her," said Usui. Shura raised her eyebrows.

"Getting _revenge_?" she asked. "Usui-kun, what _do_ you mean? There's nothing to get revenge _for_ … I mean, it's not like anyone purposely killed Tomoe-san or anything …"

"That's what you think …" said Usui, smiling.

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?" questioned Shozo, feeling uneasy. "Are you saying that she was _intentionally_ killed?"

"She died in a car crash, as you all know," said Usui. "And apparently, the person _driving_ the car had only recently got his license …"

"So in other words, he _killed_ her? That's what you're saying?" asked Shozo, sounding amused. Usui shrugged.

"All I'm saying is that that is what Enishi thinks," he said. "Besides, I wouldn't personally care about what happened to him or his sister …" With that, he too ran ahead, following Enishi.

"I don't believe that guy," said Shozo, shaking his head. "Honestly, why would whoever it was that was driving the car intentionally kill Enishi's sister?"

"Her boyfriend was driving the car," said Shura. "And, from what I know, her boyfriend, whoever he is – or was – was really nice. I _honestly_ don't think that he would have done anything to put her in danger …"

"Just forget what Usui said – he's confusing us all," said Shozo.

"Yeah … that's true …" agreed Shura.

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

"Kaeri where did you keep that envelope I told you to keep safely? The rather old and discolored yellow envelope?" called Mr. Kamiya, walking over towards the dressing table in their room and opening the drawers, looking for the yellow envelope. "Kaeri, where did you keep it? It's not here," he said, growling in frustration as he checked the last drawer to find that it wasn't there. "Kaeri!" he called, walking towards his wife's wardrobe.

"I'll be there in two minutes – I just need to finish this!" came his wife's faint reply, from somewhere downstairs. Mr. Kamiya started opening the set of three drawers that were on the left side of his wife's wardrobe. The first one contained jewelry and other stuff – there was no sign of the yellow envelope.

"Dammit! _Where_ did she keep it?" he asked, opening the second drawer, feeling odd about looking through his wife's stuff – he respected her privacy and didn't usually do this. Rummaging through the drawer told him that the envelope wasn't there. "Okay, if it's not in this one – " He stopped when, upon moving aside a few scarves from the third drawer, he saw a faded and rather old envelope. He sighed in relief. "Thank-god …" he muttered, closing the drawer and closing the cupboard as well. He turned around and walked towards the bed, grabbing the files he had kept there, before walking out, heading towards the 'office-room' downstairs. He was halfway down the stairs when he met Kaeri, running.

"Hisashi – the envelope should be in the dres – "

"No worries, I found it," said Mr. Kamiya, waving the rather thick, larger than usual envelope in front of her. "I know I told you it was _important_, but there was no reason to hide it under scarves …" Kaeri smiled.

"Well you _did_ say that – " she stopped, her brows suddenly furrowing. "Where did you – "

"Okasan …" came Kaoru's voice from her room interrupting Mrs. Kamiya.

"Hai?"

"Can you come here for a second please …" asked Kaoru, sounding rather faint for some reason.

"I – yes – Hisashi wait – where did you – "

"Just go and see what Kaoru wants Kaeri," said Mr. Kamiya, heading downstairs, smiling. "She sounded like it was rather urgent." Mrs. Kamiya watched her husband walk down the stairs, dread rising in her stomach.

"Okasan …"

"Coming!" she called, running towards Kaoru's room. She found her daughter lying down in bed, breathing heavily. "Kaoru?" she called, walking up to her.

"Okasan … I think I'm sick …" said Kaoru, her eyes looking blood-shot, and her face looking flushed. Mrs. Kamiya was kneeling down beside her in a flash. She inhaled sharply when she felt her daughter's fore-head.

"Oh dear … I think you've got fever," she said, shaking her head. "And your eyes are tearing – are you getting a cold?" Kaoru nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Yeah I think I am," she said, hoarsely. "And my nose is getting blocked too … and my throat hurts …" Mrs. Kamiya sighed.

"It must be the viral flu that's going around these days," she said, standing up. "You stay here whilst I go and get you some vitamin C and something hot to drink, for your sore-throat …" Kaoru nodded, shivering slightly. Her mother tugged the blanket out from underneath her, and covered her with it, frowning slightly when she saw the weak, flushed expression on her daughter's face. "You'll be fine," she said, squeezing her hand, before going outside, leaving the room door opened, incase Kaoru wanted to call her.

* * *

**Later:**

Aoshi stood up, pushing his plate away from him. He still didn't like the tense atmosphere that surrounded the dinner-table – especially with Kaoru missing. He shook his head hurriedly. Why did he say that? What did he care about tense atmospheres anyway? He was about to walk away, when Mrs. Kamiya stopped him.

"Oh Aoshi, can you please take this up for Kaoru?" she asked, pointing at the tray of food that she had placed on the table. "She must be starving."

" … … …" Aoshi didn't say anything, hoping that Mrs. Kamiya would get the hint. Didn't she understand that it was virtually _suicide_ for him to have anything to do with Kaoru? Especially with Mr. Kamiya around? As it was, Mr. Kamiya was giving him a dark look over the rim of his glasses.

"Please?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, either not _seeing_ the look her husband was giving Aoshi, or seeing it and choosing to _ignore_ it. Aoshi sighed inwardly as he felt himself nod and pick the tray up in his hands. He had noticed that, ever since he had arrived at the Kamiya residence, not only had his life become more _loud_ and troublesome, but he had been acting in a manner contrary to how he normally acted. If it had been the _old_ Aoshi, he wouldn't have agreed to go for athletics practice when Kaoru asked him to, fearing that something might happen between Saito and Sano, Yahiko and Soujirou. But he had gone … and had been involved with Kaoru's group of friends ever since, when all that he wanted was a quiet and peaceful life.

He stopped outside Kaoru's room, unsure of whether he _should_ really go inside. He shrugged. _What the hell, it's not like I'm doing anything bad_. He walked inside, wincing as he saw the cluttered room. He really didn't understand _how_ people could live in cluttered rooms like this. Misao's room had been pretty much the same, if he remembered correctly. Walking inside and trying not to trip over anything like Misao had done when she had come over to get some book or the other -

_Dammit_ … there he went again, thinking about that girl. What was -

A moan coming from the bed shook him out of his thoughts, and he walked towards it hurriedly, shaking his head as he saw Kaoru. Her eyes were closed, telling him that she was sleeping – or _trying_ to sleep. An expression of pain was on her face, and she was breathing heavily, with her face flushed.

Somehow, as he looked down at the sick girl, something somewhere _inside _him stirred, causing his features to soften as he continued to look down at her. _She looks like a little kid right now_ …

Hearing another pained moan, he walked over to the equally cluttered desk, and left the tray of food there, before walking back to Kaoru. Leaning down and placed his hand on her forehead, he winced as he felt its heat. Her fever, it appeared, wasn't going down. He frowned as he watched the pained expression on her face leave somewhat, as he placed his hand on her forehead, and immediately realized that it was because of the coldness of his hand – compared to her forehead. Turning towards the bedside table, he reached for the bowl of water and the cloth that was placed next to it. Dipping the cloth into the cold water, and squeezing it so as to prevent the water from dripping everywhere, he placed it – gently – on Kaoru's forehead, feeling satisfied when he saw the expression of pain on her face lessen even more.

As he looked at her, he was struck again by the resemblance that she had to him … it was … something about her face that – he glanced up hurriedly as he heard a noise from behind him. Looking around thinking that it was Mr. Kamiya who would _certainly_ kill him, he saw no one. He shook his head after a few seconds passed. Great, as if all his problems weren't bad enough, he was now getting _paranoid_.

Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, he quickly stood up, leaving the wet cloth on Kaoru's forehead. With a last glance at her, he walked briskly out of her room, and into his, closing the door behind him. He walked towards the window that was next to his bed, and stared out of it, not really looking at the sky, or at the street that was dimly lit by the streetlamps that were on it.

He clenched his hands into fists, as a strange feeling rose up inside him, almost making him throw up. He shook his head. He didn't like this … at _all._ Firstly, he didn't understand what was happening to him, and to his infamous 'cold exterior.' He had thought – and had been right – that the cold exterior of his would prevent him from getting attached to people. He was right; it _had_ prevented him from getting attached to people …

… Until now. His mind was asking him so many questions … and he was perplexed to say that he didn't have an answer for _any_ of them. Why was he slowly getting attached to Kaoru? Why did he feel as though … he _had_ to 'look after' Kaoru; since that was why he had been unconsciously doing what she had wanted since he arrived, concerning the athletics team, and hanging around with her friends and carrying messages to Misao? And why was he thinking every now and then about _Misao_? It wasn't like he knew her … well fine, maybe he did. Besides, he had sort of helped her a few times … but that didn't mean that he _had_ to think about her.

And the question that bothered him the most; why was he staying at the Kamiya residence, instead of with his aunt and uncle? Not that he was really complaining, as he didn't _really_ want to live with Saito … but still, one would think that _relatives_ – especially _close_ ones like Aunt Kazuko – would attempt to look after an orphaned nephew, instead of handing them over to a family he knew _nothing _about. And then there was the thing Saito had been about to tell him, concerning the 'reason' why he was staying with the Mrs. Kamiya … not to mention the hints he kept on passing about his 'mother.'

He turned back around and sat down rather heavily on his bed, running a hand through his hair. He was getting weak. Shinomori Aoshi was getting weak, by reducing the strength of his 'cold exterior.' He couldn't let this continue … god only knew what would happen if he got attached to someone again … only to lose them like he had lost his father. He let out a long sigh, rubbing his eyes. _Why_ was life so complicated? _Aha … I know what I'll do …_

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, with his back to the door, he took a few deep breaths, before closing his eyes, concentrating on his breathing. He hadn't meditated for a while now … maybe he would be able to clear his mind of all these problems after fifteen to twenty minutes of meditation.

* * *

**Kamiya Residence**

**8:45 p.m.**

Mrs. Kamiya walked into her room, letting out a long sigh, and massaging a sore area in her back. Taking care of a sick Kaoru _really_ was rather taxing … as that was when Kaoru was the most difficult to manage, continually complaining, whining and moaning. After having her dinner – after making a fuss as a result of her hurting throat, she had finally fallen asleep, much to her mother's relief.

She moved over to her dressing table, taking off her earrings and the necklace that she had put on that morning, before combing her black hair. When she had done that, she opened the second drawer of the dressing table, and was in the process of taking her jewelry box out, when a large, rather faded, yellow envelope caught her attention. Keeping the jewelry aside, she took the envelope in her hands, frowning slightly. This was the envelope that her husband had asked her to keep safely (as he had the tendency to misplace things) …

But he had told her that he had _found_ the envelope … he had even waved it in front of her face, teasing her about hiding it safely underneath some scarves –

_Underneath some scarves_ …

Her face paling, and feeling rather faint, she crossed the room and opened her wardrobe, pulling open the third drawer that was on the left side of the wardrobe. Moving aside the various scarves that were there, she searched fervently for the envelope that had been there … a rather large, old yellow envelope, much like the one her husband had asked her to keep. The only difference was … what was _inside_ the envelope.

"Oh god!" feeling a few beads of sweat run down her neck, she grabbed the envelope that had been in the drawer of her dressing table and ran downstairs, towards her husband's office-room. She opened the door slowly, not wanting to startle him. As it was, he was seated behind his desk, looking rather thoughtful. " … Hisashi?" she said, softly. He looked up hurriedly.

"Kaeri …" he said, somewhat surprised to see her look almost frightened.

"Hisashi – I … I found your yellow envelope …" said Mrs. Kamiya, praying that he hadn't opened the other one already.

"Huh? Envelope? Oh, the yellow one …" said Mr. Kamiya, remembering. "Oh, but I told you that I found it … in your wardrobe." He lifted a few files and shifted a few papers around on his desk, finally spotting the envelope and holding it up for her to see it. "See, I found it."

"No … that's not it," said Mrs. Kamiya, forcing herself not to stammer. "_This_ is the one you wanted …"

"Is it?" asked Mr. Kamiya, looking at the envelope in his hands. "Hang on …" He opened the already unsealed envelope, and poured its' contents out on to the table.

"Hisashi that's – " Mrs. Kamiya closed her eyes as she watched her husband stare at the items that had fallen on his desk. Where he had expected to see some important letters and receipts all that he saw were photos, and a few sheets of folded paper.

"What is this?" he asked, looking at one of the photos, surprised. Mrs. Kamiya moved forward hurriedly, tightly gripping the envelope she had in her hands. "Kaeri, this is you … isn't it?" asked her husband, raising an eyebrow at her, as he held the picture for her to see it. She stopped by his desk, nodding slowly, forcing herself to calm down.

"Yes, that is …" she said, trying to sound nonchalant … and hoping that he wouldn't ask her about the _other_ person in the photo.

"And who's this?" asked Mr. Kamiya, nodding at the man that was standing with an arm draped around the younger Kaeri's shoulders, smiling. "Hey … isn't this your old school?" Mrs. Kamiya nodded.

"Yeah …" she said, smiling wistfully. "Eigamura High School … I was sort of hoping that we could send Kaoru there, but when we moved _here_, it was a bit too far …" Mr. Kamiya nodded, picking up another picture.

"Yes, I remember that … but you should have said something if you _really_ wanted us to send Kaoru there," he said, raising his eyebrows as he looked at the second picture he had in his hand. This one had a whole load of people in the faded picture … but what caught his eye was the couple kneeling down in the center of the group, arms wrapped around each other, and smiling happily. "Who _is_ this?" he asked, casually.

"Who?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, gulping as she thought about what she should say. She didn't understand why she was feeling so nervous – it was only a couple of pictures … but the _letters_ that were there … "Oh … that's a friend … Yuuji …" she found herself saying, before she could stop herself. Her husband nodded.

"He must have been a good friend – I mean, he's in quite a lot of these pictures …" he said, smiling as he thought back to the time when _he_ had been introduced to Kaeri, by their fathers. "Do you remember the day we first met Kaeri? How you were _really_ looking like you wanted to be somewhere else …" Mrs. Kamiya forced a smile on her face.

"Yeah …" she said, wondering how she could get the envelope and its contents from him.

"Is it just me, or does this guy look like that kid?" asked Mr. Kamiya, interrupting her thoughts. She swallowed.

"Kid?" she asked, knowing who he was talking about.

"Yeah … Aoshi," said Mr. Kamiya, frowning as he mentioned the boy's name. Kamiya Kaeri kept the weak smile on her face.

"He … he does? I guess you could say that …" she said, not wanting to say anything more in case Hisashi put two and two together.

"Why don't you put all of these photos into an album? I mean, they _are_ photos of your past … and surely you want to keep them safe, instead of letting them fade away in an envelope," said her husband, smiling. "Oh, there are more photos?" Mrs. Kamiya's mind screamed at her to do something before he looked at _those_ photos, and at the letters that he still hadn't touched.

"Oh, they're nothing, really," she said, casually. "Just rather stupid, childish photos …"

"And these papers?" asked Mr. Kamiya, picking one of them up.

"Er – they're just notes … you know, notes passed around in class and stuff, without the teacher catching us," replied Mrs. Kamiya, hastily. Her husband looked at her, amused.

"Bad girl, you're not supposed to do that you know. No _wonder_ Kaoru does that too," he said. His wife smiled weakly at him. "Let's see what you were – " Mrs. Kamiya sent a prayer of thanks to the people above, when the phone on her husband's desk rang. She watched as he picked it up, and started talking to whoever it was. "Yes, I _know_ – hang on – " Mr. Kamiya covered the receiver with his hand. "Kaeri, can you pass me that envelope?" he asked, indicating the one in her hand. She gladly handed it over, and watched again, as he turned all his attention back to the phone.

Deciding that it was now or never, she leaned across the desk and picked up the other envelope, and began stuffing the letters and photos that were scattered around the desk inside, her hands shaking as she did so. Gripping the envelope tightly, she smiled at her husband, before walking outside, closing the door quietly behind her, not noticing the piece of paper that was under the table, having fallen when she had been hurriedly putting the photos inside the envelope …

* * *

**Mitsurugi High School:**

"Huh? Where's Kaoru?" asked Yahiko, looking around the class and not seeing her there. Soujirou looked around too.

"Maybe she's late …" he said. Yahiko shrugged.

"Yeah …" he mumbled. "By the way, Soujirou, what events have you been put down for?"

"The 4 into 100, 2 into 100 and 100 meter relays, plus the mixed relay," said Soujirou, grimacing slightly as he said it. Yahiko's eyes were as wide as saucers.

"What on _earth_! But – that's _too_ much!" he spluttered. "It'll kill you!" Soujirou smiled.

"Saito-_san_ obviously doesn't care about that," he said.

"Soujirou, you've got to speak to Hiko-sensei," said Yahiko, shaking his head. "I'm sure that he'll do something about it. I mean, I understand why he put you down for all of them, given you impressive talent, but still, your _health_ is at stake!"

"It's too late, isn't it, Yahiko? I mean, haven't the forms already been sent?" asked Soujirou.

"Oh no …" mumbled Yahiko. "But still, I'm sure that he can talk to the organizers and get it done …"

"It's no use Yahiko, we might as well let it be," said Soujirou, shaking _his_ head this time. "What's done is done. There's nothing we can do about it now. What worried me more, is that he has put Misao down for the Under 17 Girls' events …" Yahiko nodded.

"I know … and if Sensei can't change that, we might have to forfeit …" he growled. "Oh no, we won't have to forfeit … if he's put a back up runner for her …" Soujirou nodded.

"Yeah, he's put Kyoko-san as backup," he said.

"That's good … so I'm assuming that that new girl that sensei selected to 'replace' Misao … will not be able to take part then," said Yahiko, frowning. "Since her name's not in any of the forms …" Soujirou looked thoughtful.

"Oh yeah … but then, surely, Sensei would know what will happen if the forms have already been given, right?" he asked.

"I hope so – hey!"

"What?"

"What about the hurdles! And the high-jump and long-jump!" exclaimed Yahiko, staring wide-eyed at Soujirou. "Has _anyone_ mentioned those events?" Soujirou shook his head.

"No …" he said. "You don't think that they've _forgotten_ … do you?"

"If they've _forgotten,_ then it's too late to take part in those events," moaned Yahiko. "Dammit! We could have earned points with the hurdles too …" Soujirou nodded, frowning slightly.

"We should ask Kenshin about that …" he suggested. Yahiko nodded absentmindedly, as the teacher entered the classroom.

"OHAYO everyone!" exclaimed Takashi-sensei, causing everyone to wince at the almost unnatural cheerfulness he possessed at this time on the morning.

* * *

**A little while later:**

"Hey, what are you two brats doing here?" asked Sano, walking out of the changing rooms, to find Yahiko and Soujirou standing outside, looking like they were waiting for someone.

"What did you call us, rooster-head?" grumbled Yahiko.

"Brats …" replied Sano, grinning.

"Whatever, asparagus-head," retorted Yahiko.

"Hey! That was uncalled for," said Sano.

"No it's wasn't …" said Yahiko.

"Heh, did you two see the look on Kenshin's face when he saw Kaoru missing? I wonder what he's thinking right now …" said Sano, grinning as he remembered the look that had appeared on Kenshin's face when he found out that Kaoru hadn't come to school that day …

"Yeah … he looked _really_ concerned, didn't he?" asked Yahiko, grinning as well.

"He could just have asked Aoshi-san if he wanted to know what was wrong with Kaoru …" said Soujirou. "I mean, seeing as how they live together …"

"Don't say it _that_ way Soujirou," said Sano. "It sounds bad."

"And _speaking _of Aoshi …" said Yahiko, his grin widening as Sano caught on to his meaning, and as they both turned to stare at Soujirou.

" … Is there something on my face?" asked Soujirou, perplexed.

"No, but there soon _will_ be, if you continue to give him the impression that you and Misao are together," said Sano, grinning.

"And when jealousy _really_ kicks in," added Yahiko. Soujirou scratched his head, confused.

"Misao and I? Together? Jealousy?" he asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Honestly, all he needs is some red hair and a cross-shaped scar on his face," said Sano. "And he'll be the _exact_ replica of Kenshin."

"But he'll need to like Kaoru too, for it to work," said Yahiko.

"Like Kaoru? I don't like Kaoru …" said Soujirou, sounding even more confused by now … (the poor thing!)

"Yeah, we know," said Yahiko. "No one in his right mind would – "

"If you don't like _Kaoru_, then who _do_ you like?" asked Sano, staring at Soujirou. He could tell that the questioned had caught the boy off-guard.

"Who do _I_ like?" he asked.

"No, who does my grandmother like," muttered Sano, shaking his head.

"Well … I don't really like anyone," said Soujirou, slowly and truthfully.

"Really?" asked Sano.

"Yes."

"Really?" asked Yahiko.

"Er … I said 'yes' didn't I?"

"Fine then, tell me, if you had to chose between … kitsune, Kaoru and Misao, who would you choose?" asked Sano, grinning inwardly as he waited for the boy's answer.

" … Ano, that's not fair you know …" said Soujirou, pouting. "They are all good friends."

"Just hurry up and choose!" grumbled Yahiko.

"I would choose … Misao," said Soujirou, abruptly. "She _is_ after all my best friend. By the way, choose her for _what_? What do I choose her _for_?"

"As a girl-friend!" exclaimed Yahiko, laughing as he saw the shocked expression that passed across Soujirou's face.

"No … " he said. "Misao … Misao's … well Misao's _Misao_ …" he said.

"Really?" asked Sano, raising an eyebrow at Yahiko. "Did you know that Misao's _Misao_, Yahiko?"

"No Sano, I _really_ didn't," said Yahiko, seeing Soujirou flush. "I thought Misao's _Kaoru_ all this time!"

"That's not what I meant …" said Soujirou, shaking his head.

"Yeah, sure …"

"You two are really acting strange – "

"Sano? What are you three doing here? Practice is about to start!" came Kenshin's voice, as he walked past them.

"We were waiting for you and Aoshi-san," said Soujirou, smiling as he saw Aoshi walking behind Kenshin. "We wanted to go together …" Kenshin smiled at the younger boy, wondering why Yahiko and Sano were grinning evilly as they looked from Soujirou to Aoshi.

"Well, now that we're all here, let's go, shall we?" he asked.

"Yes," said Soujirou, joining Kenshin and Aoshi. As he smiled at Aoshi, he saw the slightly frosty glance he was giving him, and he frowned inwardly. He _really_ didn't understand what he had done to the senior student, to get him to … well, to _dislike_ him.

"Heh … poor Soujirou's getting all the dirty looks," said Yahiko, not missing the frosty glance Aoshi sent Soujirou's way.

"This will continue for some time … so he might as well get used to it," said Sano, as they all headed towards the field.

* * *

"Are we all here? Good," said Hiko Seijiro, looking around the crowd of athletes that had gathered around him. "Now, before I say anything else, I am afraid that we have a small problem …" He sensed the atmosphere change around them. "I thought that _all_ the entry statements had been signed, and sent to the organizers already … but as it appears, they haven't. And if that's not bad enough, we seem to have received the entry forms for the hurdles, the long-jump and the high-jump only _today_. And they need to be filled in and handed in to Nakamura-sensei by the end of this practice." 

"So they _didn't_ forget …" muttered Yahiko, sounding relieved.

"But who's gonna – "

"MYOUJIN! SAGARA!"

"Sorry sensei!"

"As I was saying, we need to fill them in today. That unfortunately means that we will not have much time to practice the relays. Now, this is what I've outlined for the day. First, you will all split into your respective groups again … and, after setting up the hurdles you will practice with them, timing each other. I want _all_ the times written down, and I want everyone to try the hurdles three times _each_, and the best time will be taken for each person," said Hiko-sensei. "Oh, and _do_ be careful about the hurdles … you wouldn't want to place them _too_ close to each other – " he glanced at Saito here " – you know what happened to Makimachi the last time she was _forced_ to jump hurdles that were placed too close to each other."

Saito said nothing, knowing that the man was passing these hints in an attempt to make him feel threatened. In _his_ opinion, the man needed to find something else to do in his free-time. Did he really think that Saito Hajime could be easily threatened? If he did, it was time for him to think again.

"Heh serves Saito right!" said Sano, as he saw the look he was getting from Hiko-sensei.

"I know! Ah … revenge _is_ sweet, isn't it?" asked Yahiko, smiling.

"Ano … can you two stop talking? Sensei is sending _us_ dirty looks now," said Soujirou, uncomfortably.

"Oh …" Aoshi shook his head as he listened to them. He had _never_ known that people were capable of hating someone as much as they hated Saito. He guessed that he couldn't really blame them. Their best-friend was injured because of him, she hadn't been coming to school as a result of that, she might not even be able to take part in the tournament – _and it's high time that I STOP thinking about their best-friend._

"And after we deal with the hurdles … we'll see if we have enough time to go through the jumps … and see if we can get that sorted out as well," continued Hiko Seijiro. "Everyone got that? Good … now start moving!" Everyone started moving towards the open field. "Seta and Fujita stay back."

Soujirou halted in his tracks, wondering why they were asked to stay back as he walked back towards Hiko-sensei. Once Tokio had reached them, Hiko stared directly at Soujirou.

"Looking through the entry forms, I noticed that you were down for every single event in your age group …" he said. Soujirou nodded.

"Hai," he said.

"Was that your decision?" asked Hiko, slowly.

"No … Kenshin – "

"HIMURA KENSHIN! COME OVER HERE!" called Hiko-sensei, raising his voice. In a minute, they were joined by the red-haired vice-captain of the team.

"Is something wrong, sensei?" he asked, curiously.

"Who filled in the entry forms that were given into Nakamura-sensei some time ago?" asked Hiko Seijiro.

"The entry forms? Well … Saito and I filled them in," said Kenshin, frowning slightly. "Is something wrong?"

"We you in a right state of mind when you filled them in?" growled Hiko, surprised that _Kenshin_ had allowed something like this to happen. "Seta can _not_ take part in all the events he has been put down for … you want the kid to die?" Kenshin shook his head.

"No, but Saito said that he's our only good runner, so – "

"And since _when_ do _you_ listen to everything that he says?" interrupted Hiko, glaring at his 'stupid pupil.' "Seta, you will _not_ take part in all the events. Do you have any event that you'd rather not take part in?" Soujirou shook his head.

"I don't mind …" he said, slowly.

"Sensei, why don't we put Soujirou as backup for Yahiko in the 2 into 100 meter relay?" asked Kenshin. "I mean, we _need_ Soujirou for the 4 into 100 … so why don't we give him a break for the 2 into 100?" Hiko glanced at Soujirou.

"Are you okay with that?" he asked.

"Yes," said Soujirou. "Provided that Yahiko _does_ take my place." Hiko raised an eyebrow at him.

"And who _else_ would we put instead of Yahiko?" he asked. Kenshin answered the question for him.

"No one, it's just that … before you returned, there was some – er – doubt, of Yahiko getting to take part in the tournament," he said.

"Damn that guy … he is _really_ starting to get on my nerves now …" growled Hiko Seijiro, understanding that Saito was the one that caused that 'doubt.' "Fujita, which race are you better at, the 4 into 100 or the 100 meter race?" Tokio frowned.

"Well, to be honest, I'm more of a long-distance runner …" she said. Hiko nodded.

"Good, then I will put you down for the 4 into 100 and the 2 into 100 meter relays … if that's okay?"

"That's fine," said Tokio, nodding.

"Good … now there was something else – ah, yes, I wanted – " Hiko looked hard at the three people standing around him. "Fujita, do me a favour and ask Saito whether he received any entry forms for the relays – not the mixed relays, but the rest." Tokio nodded.

"Hai," she said, moving towards the spot Saito was standing in, talking to Aoshi.

* * *

Saito smirked as he caught the flash of annoyance that passed across Aoshi's face, when he asked him about the Kamiya's. From his cousin's posture, he could tell that he was close to losing his temper. He loved being the only one that was able to make Shinomori Aoshi angry. 

" … So, how do you like Mrs. Kamiya?" asked Saito, smirking at him. Aoshi pointedly ignored him. He knew what he was trying to do, and he would be damned if he fell for it.

" … How's Aunt Kazuko?" he asked, instead.

"She's fine," said Saito. "But you didn't tell me – "

"Saito-san?" Saito turned around to see one of the new members of the team standing behind him.

" … Yeah?"

"Hiko-sensei wanted to know whether you got the entry forms for the relays …" said Tokio, forcing herself not to stare at his brilliant, unusual eyes.

"Why ask me? Wouldn't the ever so _organized_ vice-captain know?" asked Saito. Tokio stared at him, her eyebrows raised. She remembered her friend telling her that Saito was rude … but she hadn't expected him to be _this_ rude …

"If the ever so _organized_ vice-captain knew about them, Saito-san, I'm pretty sure that Hiko-sensei wouldn't send me here to ask you," she said, smiling.

"Is that so?" asked Saito. "Well in that case, the vice-captain isn't as organized as we thought he was." He smirked. "The entry forms for the mixed relays were filled in and handed over to Nakamura-sensei long ago … if I remember correctly, it was the red-head himself that came to me with the forms …"

"Sensei was talking about the _other_ relay forms, not the mixed relay," said Tokio, hurriedly.

"Why didn't you say so earlier then?" asked Saito. "No, I did not receive those forms. But surely he must know that …"

"Apparently, he didn't," said Tokio, turning around. "Thanks …"

" … Whatever …" As Tokio ran towards Hiko-sensei, she was not surprised to find herself thinking that Saito Hajime was the _rudest_ person she knew, and that her friend had been right when she warned her about him. _He may be rude … but his eyes are gorgeous … _

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

Mrs. Kamiya looked up from the book she was reading as she heard the phone ring. In her anxiety to get to the phone before its' ringing woke Kaoru up, she almost tripped over her own feet, and lost the page of the book she was reading. Sighing, she picked up the phone, hoping that Kaoru hadn't been woken up by it.

"Moshi-moshi, Kamiya Residence," she said.

" – Kaeri? Is that you?" Mrs. Kamiya nodded.

"Er yes, this _is_ Kamiya Kaeri speaking … who is this?" she asked.

"It's me, Kazuko."

"Kazuko! How are you? Is everything okay?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, smiling.

"Everything's fine with me … how are things going for you? How's Aoshi?"

"Aoshi … well, he still hasn't gotten _completely_ used to staying here yet," said Mrs. Kamiya. "But you can't really blame him for that, can you?" There was a pause, in which Mrs. Kamiya got slightly worried. "Is something wrong Kazuko?" she asked.

"How is Aoshi getting along with Kaoru, Kaeri?"

"Oh, you scared me for a moment there! I thought something was seriously wrong," said Mrs. Kamiya, sounding relieved. "Well, they seem to be getting along … in the sense, they talk to each other every now and then … and he's starting to hang around with her and all of her friends. I guess you could say that they're getting along." She didn't like the way she heard Kazuko sighed. "Okay Kazuko, enough with the questions. Just tell me what's going on."

"Kaeri, my son started to attend Mitsurugi High School too … and – well, he knows Aoshi from before, being his cousin and all …" There was a small pause. "Well, he told me that … that Aoshi and Kaoru are getting along really well. _Really _well … if you know what I mean …"

"Kazuko are you implying what I think you're implying?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, her eyes widening.

"I don't think that Aoshi is the type of person to do anything to Kaoru … and personally, I think that Aoshi is simply starting to learn how to make friends. But, in case, _incase _anything _does_ happen … don't you think that it would be best to tell Aoshi about … the truth?" Mrs. Kamiya was silent for a while, as her mind processed everything that Saito Kazuko had just told her. Aoshi … eventually falling in _love_ with Kaoru? She shuddered. That would be awful!

"Kazuko, I really don't think that their relationship is anything like that," she said, at last. "Besides – " she smiled as a picture of Kenshin popped into her head. " – Kaoru is already in love with someone else. And, from what Kaoru's told me … there's someone else who might like Aoshi."

"Really? Someone likes Aoshi!"

"Kazuko, don't sound so surprised!" chided Mrs. Kamiya. "He _is_ a very good-looking young man you know…" _Much like his father …_

"I know he is … but Kaeri, I really think that you should do something – at least tell Aoshi about the truth. Hajime – my son – told me that Aoshi keeps on wondering why he was sent to live with you … instead of being kept with us. I guess that what I'm trying to say is that I don't want Aoshi to find out about the truth from the wrong person, at the wrong time."

"I understand what you're saying," said Mrs. Kamiya. "And I _was_ contemplating on telling him, a few days ago … but … Kazuko, how will Kaoru take it, if she found out? I can't tell Aoshi, and not tell Kaoru. And then, if I tell Aoshi _and_ Kaoru, how can I not tell Hisashi?"

" … Maybe I did the wrong thing in burdening you with Aoshi then …"

"No! He's _my_ son … and I _should_ be looking after him," said Mrs. Kamiya. "Forgetting Hisashi and Kaoru, how will Aoshi react if I tell him the truth? He will obviously hate me … for abandoning him …"

"How many times do I have to tell you that you _didn't_ abandon him? You did the right thing. Yuuji never held it against you, so why are you still blaming yourself?" Mrs. Kamiya was about to answer, when she heard Kaoru calling her from upstairs.

"Uh – Kazuko, can I call you back later? I need to go now …" she said, hurriedly, as Kaoru called her again.

"Yes, of course. And Kaeri? I _really_ don't mean to burden you by telling you all of these things … I was just worried that Kaoru and Aoshi – well, you know …"

"Yes, but I'm sure that that won't happen," said Mrs. Kamiya. "Ah, I'll call you later then. Bye!"

"Bye." She put the phone back down, her brows furrowed as she thought about what Kazuko had told her. She should have known that these problems – and the headaches they brought with it – would come up, when she agreed to let Aoshi stay with her. She shook her head hurriedly. What was she _saying_? Was she trying to say that she _regretted_ Aoshi staying with them?

"Coming Kaoru!" she called, hearing Kaoru call out again, snapping her out of her negative thoughts. As she walked up the stairs, she couldn't help but wonder what Kaoru would say when she found out that she had a 'big-brother.' _Heh … and what Misao would say when she finds out that her 'good-looking burglar' is none other than Kaoru's step-brother…_

* * *

**A/N**

Phew … another chapter finished. I know that there was no Misao or Misao and Aoshi interaction in this chapter … but I am saving that for the _next _chapter, in which I _hope_ to make Aoshi have at least one _decent_ conversation with Misao. Heh, and there's no need to worry about not updating, 'coz I happen to be free until the 31st of August … and I plan on finishing this Fanfic before then (hopefully …). I was also wondering about who should find out about Mrs. Kamiya's 'son' first … should it be Mr. Kamiya, Kaoru or Aoshi himself?

Well … that's about it for now. Hope you enjoyed it! And, once again, I'm _really_ sorry about not updating before this!

See ya soon!

Siriusgirl1


	16. Conversations

**A/N**

Chapter fifteen's right here! Sorry for the delay, but there was a problem and I couldn'tupload any documents.Thanks loads for the reviews – I honestly sort of _forgot_ what I had originally wanted chapter fourteen to be, since I last touch this fic a long time ago … but I'm glad that it was okay. And Misao makes a return in this, so I hope that it's good and that you like it! And I tried showing how _evil_ 'Toriyama High-school' really is … I only hope that I succeeded in doing that …

**It.soniablade**Hey! Heh thanks a lot for the review! See, I remembered the promise I made, saying that I'd update right after my exams! Well, my exams were okay … though I think I didn't do the last few bits of my Classics paper well, since we were writing till 10:00 p.m. (oh well …) How did your sister find her exams? I bet she must be really happy, finishing at last! (who wouldn't be?) Yes, I think that you have a good point when you say that Aoshi should find out first. He _is_ in a mess as it is, so it's only fair that he finds out. Ooohh … I can imagine Mr. Kamiya's reaction though, when _he_ finds out… that will be fun to write. And Kaoru – I wonder who she'll tell first. Oh, and I read one of your fics; 'Let Your Heart Be Known' – Megumi is _so_ evil! Heh, I can't believe that she hates Misao _so_ much. I really liked the way Megumi complimented Mrs. Shinomori's dress, only to find out that Misao made it! That was good! Please update that … I want to find out what happens, especially where you left off in Chapter 3, with Aoshi and Misao 'bumping into' each other. I wonder what Megumi will do if she sees that! Update! Thanks once again for the review, and I hope that you like this chapter too.

**Oniwabanshu** Heh heh … you mean … you're not going to throw any kodachi or kunai at me? (phew!) Yes, it DID take me a long time didn't it? Ah, thank you for forgiving me! I thought you wouldn't. Being overly busy sure stops you from doing lots of things though, doesn't it? Heh, don't worry, there IS more Misao in this, and I hope you will like it! Thanks for the review, and for not giving up on this fic!

**wanderinglunatick**Hey! Thanks for the review! Romantic interludes? Yep, I definitely plan on including them … although I'm sort of trying to 'raise' the respective couples to that level – if that made any sense. But I did include something in this chapter, between – no, I shouldn't tell you that now! But don't worry, the future chapters will have these interludes – I promise. Thanks once again for the review, and I hope you like this chapter too!

**Black Metalmark: **Thanks for the review! Heh heh … yes, I have to admit, that even though it's fun writing about the other characters as well, writing all the 'Aoshi glaring at Soujirou while Soujirou has NO idea why' moments are REALLY fun! I just _love_ making Soujirou so clueless … heh heh. Thanks once again for the review – and I hope this chapter's good too!

**Baby-Fire-666: **Heh … I've updated! Hope it's good! And thanks for the review!

**Rachel: **Heh heh … ahh, if only Clef and Lantis were _real_ – not to mention Aoshi and Soujirou! The second time reading it through? Whoa! I hope you've enjoyed the last chapter too in that case! And thanks a lot for the review!

Well, on with the chapter then!

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: Conversations**

Mrs. Makimachi watched her daughter's movements carefully, as she walked rather stiffly out of her room. Giving her a weak smile, Misao turned her attention back to the corridor that she was in, aiming to get down the stairs without clumsily falling down or doing anything stupid. Her mother followed her, so that, if something _did_ happen, she would be able to help her.

Gritting her teeth, Misao walked down the corridor, putting her weight on her injured leg gingerly at first, and then gaining more confidence as she went along. She would be lying if she said that her knee wasn't hurting … but, at the same time, it was _much_ better than the pain that she had felt last week. Her ankle wasn't hurting her much anymore, it was just her knee. She stopped walking, wincing as pain throbbed around her knee.

"Misao - "

"No, I can do this," said Misao, interrupting her mother before she could continue. Taking a deep breath, she started moving forward again, and, although her movement was somewhat stiff and irregular, she managed to make it to the top of the stairs, before pausing slightly to take a break.

"Misao, are you – "

"_Yes,_ Kachan," interrupted Misao, again. "I _have_ to get used to this … especially if I'm going to take part in the tournament…" Mrs. Makimachi shook her head, although she didn't say anything. Once again, she wondered whether the doctor had been out of his _mind_ when he had told Misao that her ankle was healing well, and that her knee was healing as well – and that she _would_ be able to go about with her normal, day-to-day activities in ten days. And he had said that two days ago. Ever-since then, Misao had been walking around everyday, first around her room, and then down the corridor, and now, she was trying the stairs.

"Misao be careful!" she exclaimed, as Misao teetered at the top of the stairs, before gripping the railing hard. Misao grinned at her.

"_That_ was a stupid mistake – it doesn't mean that I can't do this," she said, thinking that her mother would ask her to stop. Mrs. Makimachi stared at her daughter. She had to admire her courage and the strength of her will … but wasn't this taking it a bit too far?

"I won't stop you … just be careful," she said, at last, watching anxiously as Misao advanced down the stairs, holding the railing lightly.

* * *

**A few minutes later:**

Misao turned around to face her mother with a huge grin on her face. She could see the pleased expression on her mother's face, although it was marred somewhat by the worry that she also had.

"I did it, Kachan!" she exclaimed, happily. "I actually walked down the stairs!" Mrs. Makimachi couldn't help but smile.

"Yes, you did," she said. "Congratulations. And now, you can rest in the living room for a while before you go – Misao, where are you going?" Misao turned around to face her mother again.

"Since I succeeded with the stairs, I'm trying to see if I can walk around downstairs now," she said, cheerfully.

"Misao, that's too much!" exclaimed Mrs. Makimachi, shaking her head as she moved towards her daughter. "You shouldn't exert yourself too much. You've done enough – "

"Kachan, if I do this now, then maybe later I can walk around the garden," said Misao. "And then … tomorrow – maybe tomorrow I can try jumping over the fence, to Kaoru's place …"

"Makimachi Misao, if I _catch_ you jumping over the fence, I swear that I will – " Mrs. Makimachi's threat was cut off when the phone started ringing, causing her to jump slightly, startled.

"Shall I – "

"No! You stay here," she said, moving towards the living room, where the phone was. "Stay _right_ here until I get back." All that she got for an answer was an angelic smile. Misao watched her mother disappear into the living room, before turning around and heading for the kitchen area. If she could make it to the kitchen and back … well, then she could try walking around the rest of the house.

"Gomen, Kachan, but I've _got_ to do this …" she said, before walking towards the kitchen, mentally urging her knee to stay strong.

* * *

**Toriyama ****High-School:**

Misanagi frowned as she twirled a strand of her hair around her finger. She glanced at her wristwatch, and, sighing exasperatedly, stood up, straightening her uniform.

"Okay, I think we've waited enough," she said, annoyed. "I'm leaving."

"But Kayo-sensei told us that he has an important – "

"I don't _care_," said Misanagi, scowling at Shura. "I mean, _I_ have to go for my next class _now_. I don't have time to waste. Besides, it can't be anything about the Inter-High-School tournament. If it was, he would have met us _earlier_ in the day."

"Misanagi-san – "

"Sorry I'm late, but I just had to double-check the information that I received!" called Kayo-sensei, walking towards the group of athletes.

"Sensei, this will be quick, right? I have to go for my next class," said Misanagi, not very happy.

"Oh yes, it _will_ be quick," said Kayo-sensei, smiling. "Mitsurugi high-school appears to be facing a lot of problems … problems that _we_ can benefit from."

"What do you mean?" asked Shozo, frowning slightly.

"Mitsurugi's fastest female athlete – the one I was telling you be careful of, Shura – is injured," said Kayo-sensei. There was a short silence.

"I'm sorry, but did you make us wait for you here, forgetting about our other classes, just to tell us that some girl is injured?" asked Misanagi. Kayo-sensei frowned in her direction.

"Yes, and no," he said. "Despite her injuries, which include a fractured knee and a sprained ankle; it appears that she will still be taking part in the tournament. Or so it seems." He turned towards Shura and Misanagi. "Girls, this is where you come in. If she appears for the tournament … give her a hard time. Push her around – see that she _slightly_ bruises or injures that already injured knee of hers … so that her speed lessens greatly."

"Sensei, are you asking us to … _purposely_ see that she injures herself?" asked Shura, not really sure whether she had heard him correctly. Kayo-sensei nodded. "But – but – how do we do that?"

"It's quite simple, really," said Misanagi, smoothly. "Just trip her up or something when you're running." She sighed as she saw Shura's stunned face. "Fine, fine, leave it to me. I'll handle her – but only when she's not running, since I'm in the Under 19 group."

"Good," said Kayo-sensei. "That's all that will concern you, so you two can go now, Misanagi, Shura." With confused glances at the rest of the team, the two girls walked off. "Right … now, this goes for you guys. Himura Kenshin, you remember him don't you?"

"Yeah we – Enishi?" Shozo glanced worriedly at the younger boy, seeing him tense up and narrow his eyes.

"What about _him_?" growled Enishi, glaring at Kayo-sensei, who was once again questioning the boy's sanity.

"He might not be an easy target to take advantage of, since the injury to his leg appears to have healed perfectly," said Kayo-sensei. "But, if you boys push him around, then he might lose his concentration … you get my drift?" No-one said anything for a while.

"Yeah … '_play dirty_' …" said Usui, grinning slowly. "We get your drift …"

"Good," said Kayo-sensei, smiling approvingly at him. "Not that we _need_ to resort to this to win … but you know the saying, it's better to be _safe_ than _sorry_."

* * *

**Mitsurugi High-School:**

The look on Tokio's face was one of annoyance, as she made her way to the staff-room during break, gripping a piece of paper tightly in her hands. Reaching the staff-room, she stood outside, forcing herself to calm down.

" – ah, Fujita-san … what are you doing here?" asked the head of the Senior Year, Kawasaki-sensei. Tokio smiled at young lady.

"Sensei, I just wanted to talk about someone about … _this_ … but I don't know who to talk to," she said, nodding at the piece of paper that she was gripping in her hands.

"And what's that?" asked Kawasaki-sensei, curiously.

"Kurogawa-sensei gave me this detention slip this morning … saying that I have been late three times this term," explained Tokio. "And I just wanted to inquire into this …"

"Oh dear … why, what's wrong?" asked Kawasaki-sensei.

"Well, sensei, I _haven't_ been late to school three times this term. I _know_ that I have been late twice; I'll admit that … but I _haven't_ been late three times," said Tokio. "And Kurogawa-sensei told me that it didn't matter, because the record-book said that I was late thrice."

"Hmm … that's odd," said Kawasaki-sensei. "Are you sure that no-one has signed _your_ name in the 'Late-book' when they got late, so as to get themselves out of trouble?"

"I don't know about that – but don't people _check_ the late-book every day to make sure that something like this doesn't happen?" asked Tokio.

"We _do_ … but mistakes _do_ happen Fujita-san," said Kawasaki-sensei. "Do you remember being late any other time? Apart from the two incidents you just told me about?" Tokio shook her head.

"No! That's why – well, I _was_ late on the first day of school … but that doesn't count, so – "

"Fujita-san, being late on the first day of school is _also_ counted as being late," interrupted Kawasaki-sensei, smiling at the shocked expression that appeared on the girl's face.

"W – What! Since when? It wasn't like that last year!" exclaimed Tokio, surprised.

"Yes, it was one of the new school rules that were announced on the first day of school … but you were obviously late for that," said Kawasaki-sensei. "Well, I think you've done your inquiry now … detention's today, for two hours after school. You know which class it's in, don't you?"

"But – But I – oh god … I have athletics practice …" moaned Tokio, her face turning pale. Kawasaki-sensei smiled again.

"I can tell Hiko-sensei if you want …" she said. Tokio let out a long sigh, staring at the detention-slip that was in her hands.

"I can't believe that this had to happen _now_ … when the tournament's coming up …" she muttered, before smiling her thanks at Kawasaki-sensei, and walking away, grumbling to herself.

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

Kenshin waited until their literature teacher's back was turned before leaning towards Aoshi, who was seated at the desk on his right, writing down what the teacher was saying.

"Aoshi …" he whispered, softly. Aoshi looked at him, questioningly.

"Hai?" he asked.

"Kaoru – er, I mean, would you by any chance happen to know why Kaoru's not in school?" asked Kenshin, trying not to sound _too_ eager for information. Shogo, seated on Kenshin's left, shook his head, a small smile forming on his face. Honestly, wouldn't it have been a whole lot easier to just ask 'where's Kaoru?' Aoshi raised an eyebrow as he detected the note of worry in the red-head's voice. "I – she was absent yesterday as well, that's why I asked …" said Kenshin, hurriedly. Aoshi would have smirked, if he had exchanged personalities with Saito, at Kenshin's lame attempt to hide his concern for Kaoru.

"She's sick – she's got fever and a cold," he said, quietly.

"Oh dear … has she gone to see a doctor?" asked Kenshin, frowning slightly. Aoshi shook his head.

"Kamiya-san said that it's just the flu that was going around. She doesn't think it's anything to worry about," he said.

"Demo – what if she gets worse?" asked Kenshin.

" … I guess she'll go and see a doctor then …" said Aoshi, shaking his head inwardly.

"Poor Kaoru – I can guess how annoyed she must be, staying in bed …" mused Kenshin, sighing.

"At least she's not been stuck in bed for _days_, like Misao has been …" said Aoshi, amused at the way Kenshin was behaving. His amusement disappeared in a flash when he realized what he had said. He narrowed his eyes slightly, mentally screaming at himself. _Honestly, what is it going to take me to STOP talking about her?_

Shogo, who was able to hear every bit of the conversation the two were having, despite the fact that they were _whispering_, frowned slightly.

"True … I wonder how Misao's doing too," said Kenshin. "We haven't gone to see her in some time …"

" … Hnnn …" was all Aoshi said, choosing not to say anything about that.

"Have you gone to see her lately, Aoshi? Since you live right next-door, I guess it must be easy for you to see go and check in on her," said Kenshin, absently. Aoshi glanced hurriedly at him, before turning away. Did he think that he had nothing better to do than to go and 'check in' on Misao everyday? _Well … you don't have anything better to do anyway, do you_? He frowned as he listened to the voice in his head argue with him. Of course he had better things to do. He … he could sleep … he could be in peace for a while (seeing as how that was now virtually impossible during school hours) and he could meditate and – _and you can also waste time THINKING_ _about Misao, can't you?_ He glowered at nothing in particular, wishing that he could kill the voice in his head, without killing himself in the process.

"Does Kaoru have a high fever?" asked Kenshin, changing the topic back to Kaoru. Aoshi lowered his voice as the teacher turned around for a second, before turning back to the board.

" … Why don't you go and see her? I'm sure you'll be able to tell whether she's seriously ill or not that way," he said, slowly. Kenshin glanced side-ways at him, before looking away.

" … I don't know …" he said.

"Himura! Shinomori! Care you share your conversation with the rest of us?" called the literature teacher, glaring at the two of them. Kenshin grinned.

"Gomen sensei, but I don't think that it'll interest you much," he said.

"Concentrate on this lesson, because I'm giving you a test on these four chapters tomorrow," answered the teacher, shaking her head and turning back to the board.

Shogo, meanwhile, was frowning as he stared at his literature book. From where he was seated, he couldn't help but over-hear Kenshin's and Aoshi's conversation. Kenshin had said that Aoshi lived next door to Misao. _Aoshi_; the resident heartthrob of the girls; lived _next-door_ to _Misao; _a girl who had qualities any guy would want in a girl, from her bubbly personality to her loyalty and determination.

_What if Aoshi and Misao … end up together?_

He hurriedly shook his head as the thought entered it. Of course that wouldn't happen. Aoshi was … Aoshi was – no offence to him – but he was _not_ Misao's type. He was quiet, calm, rather cold and distant. Even though other girls fell for him, he was sure that Misao wouldn't. She would prefer someone who was more … cheeky and adventurous. _Right?_

* * *

**Kamiya Residence: **

"No Kaoru, I'm really sorry, but I _can't_ let you go there," said Mrs. Kamiya, pushing her daughter back down on the bed as she tried getting up.

"Demo – I need to see her," protested Kaoru, rather weakly. "She's probably _really_ lonely too! And – and I need to give her the books that she wanted to read …"

"Kaoru, yes, she probably _is_ lonely, but at least that's better than catching the flu from you, isn't it? Misao-chan has enough problems as it is … surely you don't want her to get the _flu_ to add to them all?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, raising her eyebrows at her daughter.

"But – what about the books then?" asked Kaoru, nodding at the pile of books that was on her desk.

"Can't it wait?" asked her mother. Kaoru shook her head vigourously. "Fine, fine … in that case, I'll ask Aoshi to give them to her." The grin that formed on Kaoru's pale face worried her mother immensely. "Kaoru? Kaoru? Are you – okay?"

"Heh heh … _yes_ … for once, Okasan, you're right," said Kaoru, grinning. "Send Aoshi-san over. That's a _brilliant_ idea, Okasan!" Mrs. Kamiya sighed.

"I didn't suggest that for you to use in your 'match-making' project," she muttered.

"Okasan, you _will_ tell Aoshi-san, won't you?" asked Kaoru, anxiously. Mrs. Kamiya sighed again.

" … Yes, I'll tell him," she said.

"Ooohh … I wonder what Misao-chan will do when she sees him! Especially when none of us are – oh NO!" Mrs. Kamiya almost jumped a foot in the air as Kaoru cried out.

"Kaoru!"

" – Soujirou … I have a _bad_ feeling that he'll go and see Misao-chan today …" said Kaoru, thoughtfully. "But … if he _does_ go, then Aoshi-san will just give Misao-chan the books and come back …"

"What _else_ do you want Aoshi to do?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, startled.

"Okasan, we have to make sure that Soujirou doesn't go to see Misao-chan!" said Kaoru, wide-eyed. Mrs. Kamiya shook her head, placing a stern expression on her face.

"Kaoru, I _know_ that you're doing all of this for Misao-chan, but _please_, listen to me when I say this,' she said. "_Don't_ interfere with whatever is happening between Misao-chan and Aoshi. Do you fully realize what you just said, about Soujirou?" Kaoru just stared at her mother. "Kaoru, you just told me that you have to do something to make sure that Soujirou doesn't go to see Misao-chan. The next thing you know, you will want to do something to make sure that Soujirou doesn't _talk_ to Misao-chan, so that Aoshi can get together with her. Don't you think that that's being a little … _selfish_?"

"Okasan – I – I didn't meant that we should keep Soujirou _away_ from Misao-chan. Those two are really close – so close that we _won't_ be able to keep them apart. It's just that … Aoshi-san's jealous of Soujirou, and he doesn't _understand_ it. He probably _still_ thinks that there's something going on with him and Misao-chan…and that will kill off whatever feelings _he_ may have for her and – "

"_Kaoru_," interrupted her mother. "I think you need to rest. You're thinking _way_ too much." Kaoru grinned weakly, before lying back down on the bed.

"It's just that I want Misao-chan to be happy – especially since Aoshi-san is the _first_ person she's _really,_ really liked. And … Aoshi-san deserves someone like Misao-chan … I mean, he _is_ really sweet inside – he doesn't display his concern for people through words, he displays it through his actions …" Kaoru let out a long sigh, closing her eyes and smiling. Mrs. Kamiya stared at the pleased smile on her daughter's face as she thought about Aoshi.

_Oh no … don't tell me that Kazuko was right! Kaoru … Kaoru CAN'T fall in love with Aoshi!_

"You … you just rest, Kaoru," she said, standing up. "I'll be back in a little while with your medicine and your tea, okay?"

"Hai …" said Kaoru, feeling drowsy all of a sudden, and not even noticing her mother leaving the room with a worried expression on her face.

* * *

**Mitsurugi ****High-School:**

Kenshin walked into the changing room, and was about to go into one of the cubicles in it, when he heard the sound of rather _loud_ whispers coming from somewhere. Frowning slightly, he looked around the fairly large changing room, looking for the source of the whispers. His gaze landed on three figures huddled together in a corner of the room, everything about their actions saying 'warning: we are up to _no_ good.' He approached them slowly, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Heh…I'm _so_ proud of myself!"

"I am too! Whoa … I _can't_ believe that no-one _noticed_ that it wasn't him!"

"Ano … are you _sure_ that that was the right thing to do?"

"What?"

"Yeah, what are trying to say?"

"Well – there _is_ a high possibility of him finding out, and getting _you_ into trouble…"

"Nah! How's he gonna find out?"

"Yeah – I mean, it's not like anyone _saw_ him do it …"

" – Saw him do what?" asked Kenshin, from behind the three boys, causing then to almost jump out of their skins.

"K – Kenshin! Damn! _Don't_ do that again!" growled Sano, placing a hand over the place his heart was – or rather, the place _he_ thought his heart was. "My heart's going haywire …"

"Oro? You're heart is on the other side Sano …" pointed out Kenshin.

"It doesn't matter!" muttered Sano.

"So … what were you three doing, whispering here? And who didn't see him to whatever it was that he did?" asked Kenshin, looking at Yahiko and Soujirou.

"Heh, Kenshin, you _won't_ believe the _guts_ that Sano has!" exclaimed Yahiko, grinning. "You _won't_ believe what he went and did this morning!"

"Er – what did he do?" asked Kenshin, not sure whether he should be worried or not.

"He was late today – and it would have been the third time he was late – and the guy that keeps watch over the gate – you know, that old, rather friendly guy?" Kenshin nodded at Yahiko. "Well, he doesn't really know who's who, so he asked Sano to sign the 'Late-book' … and Sano signed his name as 'Saito Hajime'!"

"ORO!" Sano nodded, grinning.

"How _smart_ was that huh Kenshin?" he asked, pleased with himself. "I don't think that Saito's going to be coming for practice today … he was late twice before – apparently – and that means that he's got a late detention today!"

"H-Hang on … are you telling me that … you put _Saito's_ name in the late-book, instead of your own?" asked Kenshin, his eyes widening.

"Oh _my_ god … even _Soujirou_ understood what had happened sooner …" mumbled Yahiko, shaking his head.

"Sano – what – _why_ did you do that!" exclaimed Kenshin, looking worried. Sano raised an eyebrow at him. He knew Kenshin was dense … but _this _dense?

"Hmm…let's see, a) because I _don't_ like him; b) so that we won't be tortured by his presence at practice at least for one day; c) to get Saito in trouble; e) to get _myself_ out of a late-detention; f) – "

"Psst … Sano, you missed the 'd)'," interrupted Yahiko. Sano sweat-dropped.

"_That_ is not the point here, Yahiko," he grumbled.

"Sano! Do you know what can happen? Saito – Aoshi!" Kenshin smiled at Aoshi as he walked out of one of the cubicles, already dressed in his usual black shorts and white t-shirt.

"Hnn …" said Aoshi, nodding at them, before glancing at his wrist-watch. " … Aren't you going for practice?"

"We have a more important matter on our hands! Aoshi, do you _know_ what Sano's gone and done?" asked Kenshin. Aoshi shook his head slowly. How was he supposed to know? "He was late this morning and he wrote down Saito's name in the late-book! And Saito's apparently been late twice already … which means he'll be in late-detention today …" Aoshi quirked an eyebrow in Sano's direction, amused.

" … He's going to find out …" he said, shaking his head. _Honestly, doesn't he have ANY brains? Saito's not stupid … and when he finds out what happened …_

"Nah, how will he find out?" asked Yahiko.

"Yahiko, Saito's _not_ stupid you know!" said Kenshin.

"Eh? He's _not_?" asked Yahiko, sounding very surprised.

"Er … I hate to interrupt this important discussion … but don't you think that we should make our way to the field? I mean … Hiko-sensei might not like it if we get late …" said Soujirou.

"Aah … he's right, c'mon, let's go," said Sano, grinning. "Heh … I wonder whether Saito will be here …" Kenshin frowned.

"Sano, I still say that you shouldn't have done that. I mean, I know that you and Saito … have your _differences_, but you shouldn't have done that," he said.

"Differences? More like we _despise_ each other," muttered Sano.

"Uh-oh, we should hurry up," said Yahiko, as they walked out of the changing-room, just in time to hear a loud voice shouting. "That's definitely Hiko-sensei…"

* * *

"It's _about_ time you five got here! You can't afford to slack off with only eight days left for the tournament!" yelled Hiko-sensei, as Aoshi, Kenshin, Sano, Yahiko and Soujirou walked towards him.

"Gomen sensei …" said Kenshin, looking down.

"Hnn … and where the _hell_ is Saito?" asked Hiko, looking around the crowd of people gathered around him. "Not that _I_ care … but I would have thought that he would be here, being out Captain …" Kenshin gulped as Sano and Yahiko exchanged triumphant glances.

"I think he's got a late-detention today …" said Mitsui Yoriko, doing her best not to smile.

"_What?_" asked Hiko-sensei, glaring at her.

" – He – he got the slip from sensei this morning, during registration …" stammered Yoriko, put off by the glare Hiko-sensei was giving her.

" … Saito … is _not_ here … because he's in _late-detention_?" questioned Hiko-sensei, his face darkening for a moment. "And he didn't even tell me before-hand …" There was a short silence. "Well, never mind. We don't really mind his absence anyway. Now, for today's practice – " Hiko was cut off when he heard snickers coming from Sano and Yahiko. He turned towards them, a scowl on his face. "And _what_ may I ask, is so funny?" he asked. Kenshin glanced hurriedly at his friends, shaking his head quickly, trying to tell them not to say anything that would aggravate Hiko.

" … The fact that our _dear_ captain is so irresponsible, getting into late-detention," said Sano, grinning.

"And not telling you about it either…" added Yahiko, grinning as well. Soujirou shook his head as Kenshin stood in front of Sano and Yahiko, doing his best to get them to stop _indirectly_ gloating about what they had done. Why didn't they understand that that taking it _too_ far was rather dangerous?

"Yes … he may _be_ irresponsible but he _is_ still our Captain …" said Hiko, slowly. "Anyway, leaving _him _aside … I have an important announcement to make. The long-jump and the high-jump events have been cancelled for the tournament – " He closed his eyes as a series of exclamations erupted from the athletes around him.

"_What_!"

"But – but we practiced for it!"

" – And what about the _points_ system then? How are they going to divide the points?"

"Are they even allowed to cancel events at the last minute!"

" – Ano … why don't we all just be quiet … and let Sensei say what he wanted to say?" asked Kenshin, desperate. Hiko grunted as everyone turned silent. _Whoa … they actually listen to this stupid red-head guy …_

"The points-system has already been changed. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound good for us …" he said at last. "The number of points allocated to the hurdles has been raised – which means that we _have_ to do well with the hurdles …"

"Demo – what are the girl's going to do? For the Under 17's?" asked Soujirou, frowning slightly. "Seeing as how Misao's – "

"_Exactly_ … this is not good news for us, because we don't have any suitable candidate for the Under 17's," said Hiko Seijiro. "And this means that we need to do our other events really well, in order to compensate if we don't do well with the hurdles. I want everyone to practice the relays today … any problems?"

"Eeto … Sensei, Tokio-san's not here …" said Kenshin, looking around. Hiko nodded.

"Yeah, she's got late-detention too," he growled. "Everyone sort yourselves out into your various age groups and practice your relays. You know the drill; one person does the timing while the other one runs, and then vice-versa."

"Hai!"

"Tokio-san's got a late-detention too?" asked Sano. "Man … she's a 3rd year, isn't she? The poor thing … she'll be stuck with Saito in detention…"

"Oh man … I hope he doesn't kill her or anything …" said Yahiko, shaking his head.

"Oh, Seta, have you seen Makimachi lately? Do you know how her injuries are?" Yahiko and Sano glanced immediately at Aoshi, who was 'busy' kneeling down and tying his shoe-laces. Soujirou shook his head.

"I haven't gone to see Misao recently Sensei," he said. "I'm sure her injuries must be healing though … I mean, if she's resting …"

"Hnn … does _anyone_ know how she's doing?" asked Hiko-sensei. Kenshin glanced at Aoshi, wondering whether he knew anything. Aoshi, tying his shoe-laces, was completely unaware of the glances he was getting.

"Aoshi? Do you know anything about Misao's condition?" asked Kenshin, causing Aoshi to look up at him.

" … What?" he asked. Sano grinned, nudging Yahiko before answering.

"How's Misao's knee these days?" he asked. Hiko-sensei raised an eyebrow in Aoshi's direction. Why were they asking _him_ about Misao? Aoshi fixed Sano with a frosty glance.

" … I don't know …" said Aoshi, standing up suddenly.

"Are you _sure_ you don't know?" asked Yahiko, grinning. Aoshi fixed _him_ with a frosty glance this time.

"Y – "

"Ano … if Aoshi-san says he doesn't know, I'm sure he doesn't know, right, Aoshi-san?" asked Soujirou, smiling at him. The frost_ier_ glance that Aoshi gave Soujirou did not go unnoticed to Sano, Yahiko _and_ Hiko-sensei, although Kenshin was clueless.

"Is anyone going to see Makimachi today? Or anytime soon?" asked Hiko-sensei.

"I don't think I'll be able to go today," said Soujirou, sighing heavily.

"Neither can I," said Yahiko. Hiko sighed.

"Fine, then, whenever one of you goes to see her, tell me how she's doing … now get going…" he said.

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

She scribbled furiously on the piece of paper on the desk in front of her, the small frown on her face increasing as she wrote every word down. It was bad enough that she had to miss athletics practice … but writing down the sentence 'I will _not_ be late again' 2000 times was just pure torture. She squeezed her eyes shut as she heard the sound of a pen being rhythmically tapped against a table. It was even _worse_ when the only other _human_ in the room was a rude, annoying, selfish, egotistical, somewhat sadistic guy with nice eyes. She snapped her eyes open as the tapping continued.

"_Look,_ is there _really_ any need for you to continue doing that?" she asked, at last, glancing at the dark haired male seated at the opposite end of the class.

"Hmm?" asked Saito, looking at her, a smirk on his face. Tokio took a deep breath, telling herself not to lose her temper – which was obviously what Saito wanted her to do.

"Can you stop tapping that pencil against the desk?" she asked.

"And _why_ should I?" asked Saito.

"Because I can't concentrate," answered Tokio.

"Oh?" asked Saito. "Is that _any _of my concern?"

"_No_, but the sooner I finish this, the sooner I get out of here …" said Tokio. _And the sooner I get away from you_ …

"It's not _my_ fault that you got yourself into detention," said Saito, shrugging. "Not my fault that you were stupid enough to get into this…"

"_Excuse-me_?" asked Tokio, raising her eyebrows. "But if it was my _stupidity_ that got me into this, then what about you?" Saito stared at her for a moment, before smirking again.

" … I wasn't late today," he said. Tokio rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, sure," she said.

"You can ask anyone in my class … I wasn't late today," said Saito.

"Oh, then I suppose that someone _accidentally_ wrote your name down in the late-book?" asked Tokio, sarcastically. Saito grinned.

"That's _exactly_ what I think happened," he said. Tokio stared at him for a few seconds.

" … You're joking right?" she asked. Saito shook his head. "Who would want to do that?"

"_You're_ joking, right?" asked Saito, raising an eyebrow in her direction. " … There _are_ many people who can't stand my guts …"

" … But still, who would do something like this?" asked Tokio. _Instead of just dealing with you in a dark alley._

" … I can think of quite a few people who'd want to do that," said Saito, turning serious. "And when I find out who did this …" His voice trailed off, and Tokio didn't need him to continue to know that whoever had signed Saito's name in the late-book would be in a lot of trouble when he was found out. She glanced at her wrist-watch and let out a small squeal, somewhat startled. " … What?"

" … I _need_ to finish this soon …" stammered Tokio, turning back to the papers she was writing on.

"What's the hurry? It's too late to go for practice anyway," said Saito.

"I _know_ that …" said Tokio, writing fast and growling as she made a mistake in the sentence.

" … Then – "

" – I have a music class right after practice … and since my music exam's coming up, I need to go for this class," said Tokio, absently. Saito raised his eyebrows.

"Music? You?" he asked, smirking. Tokio paused to turn around and glare at him.

"Yes, me," she said. "Is there something wrong with that?" Saito shook his head slowly.

" … No, it's just that it's rather odd to find an athlete that plays an instrument," he said. "What instrument do you play anyway?"

" … The flute," answered Tokio.

"The flute … huh?" muttered Saito, tapping his pen absent-mindedly on the table again, only stopping when Tokio glared at him. "What? Oh, sorry …"

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

Aoshi walked out of the bathroom that was attached to his room – or rather, to the room he was _temporarily_ staying in – rubbing his now slightly longer wet hair with a towel, when he heard Mrs. Kamiya call him.

"Aoshi! Dinner's ready!" Sighing, he tossed his towel on the bed, and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He took a few steps down the corridor, before he stopped. Walking back, he stopped outside Kaoru's room, wondering whether he should go in or not. Deciding against it, he turned back around, and walked down the stairs, heading towards the dining room. Mr. Kamiya was already seated at his usual place at the table.

" … Can we start eating _now_, Kaeri?" asked Mr. Kamiya, glaring at Aoshi as he spoke. Mrs. Kamiya nodded, smiling at Aoshi.

"Yes, of course," she said. Aoshi waited patiently as Mrs. Kamiya served some food on his plate, before eating. No-one said a word for a while. "So Aoshi … how was your day at school?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, in an attempt to strike up a conversation.

" … It was … normal," said Aoshi, wondering whether Mrs. Kamiya _really_ wanted to know, or whether she was asking simply to start a conversation.

"Oh … and how was athletics practice?" asked Mrs. Kamiya.

" … Tiring …" answered Aoshi, between mouthfuls. Mrs. Kamiya glanced at her husband, feeling slightly uncomfortable with his silence.

"Was Kaoru still asleep when you came down Aoshi?" she asked, turning her attention to Aoshi again. Aoshi winced mentally as he saw Mr. Kamiya glance icily at him.

" … I didn't check …" he said, hoping that Mr. Kamiya would get the point.

"Oh …"

"Ah Kaeri, that reminds me, what have you done with those photos of yours?" asked Mr. Kamiya, looking at his wife.

"Photos?"

"Yes, the ones from your days at Eigamura high-school," said Mr. Kamiya. Aoshi stared at Mrs. Kamiya, surprised. _She studied at Eigamura?_

"Oh – those photos … I – I haven't done anything with them …" said Mrs. Kamiya, feeling a wave of dread rise up in her stomach.

"Why don't you put them into a photo-album like I told you to? Since you can't really go anywhere with Kaoru in this condition, I can get one for you when I'm coming back from work tomorrow …" suggested Mr. Kamiya.

"It's not really necessary, Hisashi … I mean – "

"Why do you say that? They're photos of your past," interrupted her husband. "You should treasure them. Has Kaoru seen them?" Mrs. Kamiya shook her head slowly. "No? Well you should show them to her … so that she can see what her mother used to look like when she was in high-school …"

"Yes, I – I'll do that …" said Mrs. Kamiya, sipping her water rather nervously – something which didn't go unnoticed to Aoshi.

"Besides, I'm sure that he wouldn't be very happy if he got to find out that you were keeping your photos, hidden, in an envelope," said Mr. Kamiya. Aoshi glanced at _him_ this time. _He?_

"He?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, frowning as she looked at her husband.

"Yes – that good friend of yours … the one that was in almost all of those pictures …" said Mr. Kamiya. "What was his name again …?" Mrs. Kamiya almost choked on the water she had been sipping slowly.

"Er – would you like some more chicken, Aoshi?" she asked, smiling nervously at the boy. Aoshi shook his head, wondering why Mrs. Kamiya hadn't answered her husband's question.

"What was his name again Kaeri? I don't seem to remember …" said Mr. Kamiya.

"His name?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, her heart sinking slightly as her husband waited for her to answer. _Now calm down Kaeri … it's just the name. There's nothing wrong with mentioning it here …_ " – Yuuji …" she said, slowly. Aoshi looked sharply at Mrs. Kamiya, as he remembered that his father and Mrs. Kamiya had been 'good-friends' … which was why Aoshi was staying with her. _Or rather, that's what I was told …_

"Yuuji? Was he at our wedding?" asked Mr. Kamiya. Mrs. Kamiya shook her head.

"No …" she said.

"Why? If he was such a good friend, wouldn't he have been at your wedding?" asked Mr. Kamiya.

"Yes – he just … uh … he was really ill on the day," said Mrs. Kamiya. _How could he come when he had a little baby to look after? Not to mention the fact that if he came, he would have had to watch me getting married to someone else …_

"Hmmm … what's his surname? Do you know where he's staying now? I mean, I don't want to be held responsible for you two losing the close bond of friendship that you had …" said Mr. Kamiya. Aoshi, who was watching Mrs. Kamiya, noticed her face pale, and frowned slightly.

" … He … he's not anywhere nearby …" said Mrs. Kamiya, softly. _You ARE responsible for us losing our close bond, Hisashi … but how can I tell you that?_

"I can help you find him if you'd like," said Mr. Kamiya. "Consider that as an early birthday present. What's his surname? My friend – you know, Eiji? – he can help me find him." Mrs. Kamiya's face turned paler, if it was possible. "What was his surname Kaeri?" She glanced at Aoshi, and looked away hurriedly, as he caught her looking at him. "Kaeri? What was his surname?"

"It – it's no use Hisashi," said Mrs. Kamiya, smiling weakly at her husband. "It's … too late now …"

"What do you mean? Don't tell me that you've already severed all connections you've had with him?" asked Mr. Kamiya. "Kaeri, you're the one who's always telling me that friends are important and that you should never let them go …"

"Yes, but he's … gone," said Mrs. Kamiya, willing herself not to look at Aoshi.

"What do you mean he's gone?"

"He's … dead," she said, gripping the napkin on her lap tightly. Aoshi stared at his plate. Now this was getting confusing. _If_ it _had_ been his father that Mrs. Kamiya had been talking about … why was she stalling, and stammering when she was talking about him? Why had she been reluctant to tell Mr. Kamiya his father's name? He frowned inwardly. Her behaviour told him that there was something going on that he didn't know about – and, he felt that whatever it was, was the reason for him having been brought to the Kamiya household after his father had died. _But **what** is going on?_

"Oh dear … I didn't know …" said Mr. Kamiya. "Did you attend his funeral?"

"I … didn't know that he died …"

"Then how do you know that he's dead? How do you know for sure?" asked Mr. Kamiya, surprised.

"Because A – " the sound of the grandfather clock in the hallway interrupted Mrs. Kamiya – who was thanking the gods for causing the distraction. Her husband was still looking at her eagerly, waiting for an answer, when Aoshi stood up, pushing his plate away. "You've finished? Are you sure you wouldn't like some more?" Aoshi shook his head.

" … No, thanks …" he said, and was about to walk away, when Mrs. Kamiya stopped him again.

"Oh, Aoshi, I know that I shouldn't be asking this of you … but can you do me a favour?" Aoshi stared at her. _What is it with her asking me for favours after dinner everyday? _"If you go to Kaoru's room, you'll find a stack of books on her desk – do you think that you can just go over and give them to Misao?"

" … Now?" asked Aoshi, surprised. _Damn … why does it have to involve her?_

"I know that it's almost eight o'clock, but Misao needs those books, and I asked Kaoru not to take them to her, because not only is Kaoru ill, but Misao might get the flu from her as well, and that's the last thing that Misao will need at this point in time," said Mrs. Kamiya. "Will you?"

" … Okay …" said Aoshi, although one of his inner voices yelled at him for being easily convinced into doing things as Mrs. Kamiya flashed him a smile. _Don't complain … at least you're getting to see Misao – in the flesh – instead of wasting time thinking about her!_ Aoshi growled mentally at his inner-voice, telling it to shut up … or else.

"Great! They're on Kaoru's desk …" said Mrs. Kamiya.

"Kaeri, are you trying to get Misao into trouble too?" asked Mr. Kamiya, surprised.

"What?"

"Are you out of your mind? Sending _him_ to Misao's house? Alone? At this time?" he asked. "God knows what he'll do to her!" Aoshi glared at him through ice blue eyes.

"Hisashi, you don't know what you're talking about," said Mrs. Kamiya, frowning. "Aoshi's not a person like that. Besides, he and Misao are friends, aren't you, Aoshi?" Aoshi found himself nodding slowly, before he could stop himself. _Why did I nod? We're NOT friends … we're just … we just know people who know both of us … right?_ "Go ahead Aoshi … " Nodding, Aoshi walked up the stairs.

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

Misao sighed as she sat down on her bed, doing her best not to pay any attention to the throbbing in her knee. It had been throbbing ever since she had walked around the house and the garden that morning and afternoon, as a result of her exerting herself too much. She just wished that her mother would understand why she was doing this. The sooner she got used to this, the sooner she could try running. She had been the happiest person in the world when the doctor had told her that afternoon that he would be removing her cast in two days. That meant that she would be more flexible.

But all of this exercising didn't mean that she wasn't bored. No-one had come to visit her during the past few days, and she was beginning to get cranky. A gut feeling in her stomach told her that Soujirou would come and see her today. She was waiting for him to turn up – to yell at him for not coming to see her before. She felt – though she knew she was being stupid – rather neglected and forgotten.

"Oh come on Misao, they have their own lives too," she said aloud, shaking her head. "Ah! Kaoru was supposed to be giving me some books to read …" She frowned. Even Kaoru hadn't come to see her. She hadn't even called her. She hoped that nothing was wrong with her … "Aargh … if _someone_ doesn't come to see me today, I'm going to go mad!"

Mrs. Makimachi opened the front door, sure that it would be Kaoru, who she hadn't seen around for a few days. She was startled when she saw the tall frame of Aoshi, standing on the doorstep, a small stack of books in his hands.

"Aoshi," she said, smiling surprised. "What brings you here?"

" … Kaoru-san wanted me to give these to … Misao," said Aoshi, nodding at the books. "Kaoru-san's sick, so she can't come here herself."

"Oh dear? Is she okay?" asked Mrs. Makimachi, worried. Aoshi nodded.

"She's just got the flu …" he said.

"Oh … oh, sorry, please, come in," said Mrs. Makimachi, stepping aside. "You know where Misao's room is, right?" Aoshi paused for a moment, debating whether he should just give Mrs. Makimachi the books and leave. _Don't do that! Just go … it's not like anything's going to happen_. Aoshi wondered where _that_ had come from.

" … Yeah …" nodding at her, he walked down the corridor, and up the stairs. Mrs. Makimachi smiled as she closed the door and walked into the kitchen, almost bumping into her father.

" … He's new to that group, isn't he?" asked Okina, smiling. "If I didn't know any better … I would think that my little Misao is smitten with him …"

"_Your_ little Misao?" asked his daughter, raising her eyebrows.

"Ah, sorry, _your_ little Misao," said Okina, laughing.

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

Mrs. Kamiya opened the front door, smiling, thinking that it was Aoshi. She guessed that Kaoru's hopes were not meant to be – Aoshi had merely given Misao the books and come back.

"There's no need to ring the bell, you _live_ here Aos – " she stopped as she saw the male standing in front of her, an apologetic smile on his face. Her eyes widened as she recognized him, although the cross-shaped scar on his face was something she had not seen before. "Kenshin!" Kenshin smiled apologetically at her.

"I'm really sorry for coming at this time Kamiya-san," he said, scratching his head sheepishly. "But I heard that Kaoru was ill … and no-one else was able to come … so I thought I'd come and see her …" Mrs. Kamiya smiled widely. Kaoru didn't _tell_ her anything, but, being the girl's mother, she could tell that she had a soft spot for the lovable red-head.

"That's really sweet of you," she said, stepping aside to let him enter. "I'm sure Kaoru will be happy." Kenshin nodded, moving inside. "You know which room is hers?" Kenshin shook his head. "Well, it's the only room with the door wide-open." Kenshin stood where he was, unsure of whether it was okay to go into Kaoru's room without anyone else with him. "Oh go ahead! There's nothing to be worried about …" said Mrs. Kamiya, knowing why he was waiting.

"Ano – is Aoshi here?" asked Kenshin, looking at Mrs. Kamiya. She shook her head.

"No, he's gone to Misao's place," she said.

"M – Misao's place!" spluttered Kenshin.

"Yes … there were some books that Kaoru wanted Misao to have, but she couldn't give them to her, so I asked Aoshi to go instead …" said Mrs. Kamiya. "He'll be back soon though, since I don't expect him to be there for long." Kenshin nodded.

"I'll … go and see Kaoru then …" he said, walking down the corridor. Mrs. Kamiya smiled as she watched him go. She wished she would be able to see Kaoru's reaction at seeing Kenshin. If only Aoshi would 'feel like' visiting Misao like that …

* * *

Aoshi stood in front of the opened door, wondering whether he should announce himself or go straight inside. He immediately decided against going straight inside. That didn't sound right. He scowled as he saw Misao seated on the bed, with her back towards the door. How much easier would it have been if she had been seated _facing_ the door. Balancing the books in one hand, he leaned forward and knocked on the opened door.

"Oh! It's about time!" growled Misao, still not turning around. Aoshi stared at her – or rather, at her back. _What_? "I thought that you had forgotten me!" Aoshi raised his eyebrows. _She thought he had forgotten her? _"Mou, it's not nice to make people feel neglected and forgotten you know!" _He had made he feel 'neglected' and 'forgotten'? When?_ Misao turned around, a cute pout on her face. "What are you going to do to make it up to – " Aoshi watched, amused, as her eyes went from narrowed slits, to wide blue orbs, and as her face turned red. " – A – Ao – Aoshi!" stammered Misao, _really_ wishing that the ground would open up and swallow both the bed _and_ herself.

" … Kaoru-san wanted you to have these," said Aoshi, standing at the door, feeling rather uncomfortable.

"Oh … you – er – can come in if you want …" said Misao, awkwardly. Aoshi walked inside and stood somewhat awkwardly by the bed. "Why did she want me to have those?" asked Misao, pointing at the books. Aoshi moved forward and placed them on her bed.

"I really don't know …" he said, watching as Misao picked up a book from the pile.

"Oh! These are the books she promised to give me!" she exclaimed, looking grateful. "Now I'll finally have something to do. Is Kaoru okay? I mean … I haven't seen her for some time now …"

"She's sick – "

"She's WHAT!" interrupted Misao. "Why? What's wrong with her? Is she going to be okay!" Aoshi nodded slowly, rather surprised to find that he wasn't the least bit annoyed at her outbursts.

"It's just the flu … nothing serious," he said.

"Thank god …" mumbled Misao. There was a short silence in the room.

" … No-one's come to see you the past few days?" asked Aoshi, breaking the silence. Misao shook her head, pouting again.

"No! I've been ALL alone! And I've been SOO bored!" she wailed, before catching sight of the amused expression on Aoshi's face. She flushed. "I – sorry … it's just that I'm really cranky …" she stammered. _Misao you IDIOT! Continue to act like that and he'll DEFINITELY think you're weird!_ Not that he DOESN'T think that already.

" … I … can imagine …" said Aoshi, wondering why he had said that. He glanced at the cast on Misao's leg. "How's your leg?"

"My leg?" asked Misao. "Oh! My _leg_!" Aoshi cocked his head to a side, wondering why Misao's face was turning red. "Er … the doctor came a few days ago and said that I should walk around and stuff … and today he said that he'll take the cast off in two days!" She looked excited. "That means that I can take part in the tournament!" Aoshi frowned.

" … Are you sure about that?" he asked.

"Of course! All I need to do is practice a little … that's it," said Misao.

" … The tournament _is_ in eight days," said Aoshi. "You really think that you can take part in the events you were put down for?"

"Yes!" said Misao, scowling at him. "Is there a problem with that?" Aoshi shook his head hurriedly, before frowning again.

"What about the hurdles?" he asked, casually. _Why is it that I'm talking to her? I should be going now … I don't need to stay here and talk to her … I did my part of the 'favour' Mrs. Kamiya asked me to do. _

_But she does look nicer when she's all energetic and revved up … _He shook his head hurriedly, forcing his inner-voice to shut up. The last thing he needed was for it to cause problems when he was _here_.

"Well … I _can_ practice with the fence that separates this house from Kaoru's … but Kachan won't let me," grumbled Misao. Aoshi raised his eyebrows at her. She wanted to try jumping over fences … in _this_ state?

" … I'm not surprised …" he said, slowly. There was another silence in the room, causing Misao to fiddle with her thumbs, uncomfortably. Aoshi started to turn around. " … I should get going – "

" – No!" Misao stared open-mouthed at Aoshi, raising a hand to slap it over her opened mouth, but stopping half-way. Aoshi stood _extremely_ still, doing his best to ignore what his inner-voices were saying, _and_ trying not to show his surprise at Misao's outburst. As it turned out, he failed at both.

" … … …"

"I – I -" Misao stopped, unable to ignore _her_ inner-voices either. What was wrong with her! Why the hell had she – _oh god, please don't let me have ruined this … please don't let me have ruined this …_ "I – it's just that … I – no-one's come … and – and I don't know _what's_ going on in school … and I'm getting really annoyed without anyone to talk to – and … and – " she trailed off, looking embarrassed. " … That didn't make any sense, did it?"

" … Not really …" replied Aoshi. Misao sighed, and looked down at her lap as Aoshi didn't make any attempt to say anything. She was furious with herself, for ruining the moment. He had been talking _normally_ to her … and she had somewhat managed to do the same … only to ruin it all by blurting something _stupid_ out!

"Oh …" was all that she said, whilst she mentally berated herself. Aoshi, meanwhile, was arguing with his inner-voices. The argument was something along the lines of; No, I should go … that's the right thing to do, _But if you go now, you will lose this opportunity, _What opportunity?_, You might never get a chance to talk to her like this again … especially when she's all alone … and with no SOUJIROU to bother you …_ …… and so the argument went.

The argument _ended_ with him turning back around, his face expressionless as usual. The poor girl's really bored and lonely … it's not nice to leave someone like this was what he told his inner-voice, to justify his staying back, to which the reply was _Yeah, yeah, you keep on telling yourself that_. Misao looked up as she saw him move. Her eyes widened. It looked like he _was_ going to stay!

" … What do you want to know about what's happening in school …?" he asked, surprising himself _and_ Misao.

" – Everything!" said Misao, grinning. "You don't need to stand – you can sit down over there if you'd like …" she added, nodding at the chair on the other side of the bed. Aoshi glanced at it, the incident with what had happened when Kaoru had been in his room still in his mind. He shook his head. He knew that he wasn't going to do anything to Misao … so why was _he_ worried? Nodding, he walked over to the chair and sat down on it, turning it so that he was facing Misao. "So … what's _Saito­_ been up to these days?"

Aoshi sighed. Why was it, that wherever he went, people always insisted on talking about Saito? " … He didn't come for practice today, since he was in late-detention – "

" – HA! Serves him right! How irresponsible of a _Captain_ though, to get himself in a late-detention with the tournament just around the corner," interrupted Misao, grinning widely.

" … Sagara wrote his name down in the late-book; that's why he got a late-detention," said Aoshi. Misao's eyes widened.

"Sano did that? _Sano_?" Aoshi nodded. "Heh … I can't – oh no … he's going to be in _so_ much of trouble if Saito finds out!" Aoshi nodded.

"That's what we tried telling him …" he said.

"We?" asked Misao, trying not to show her happy surprise at the fact that Aoshi was 'getting used' to hanging out with Sano and the others.

" … Kenshin and … _Seta_ …" said Aoshi, not liking the way he said 'Seta.' He really needed to get over his problem with Soujirou …

"Yeah, I guess that should be expected from those two," said Misao, shaking her head. "They're both clueless idiots." Aoshi didn't say anything to that. "So what else happened?" _Whoa … I'm actually talking freely to him! Argh, I hope I continue this way …_

" … Hiko-sensei told us that the high-jump and long-jump events have been cancelled …" said Aoshi, leaning back in the chair as he spoke, with Misao listening attentively to every word he said. She must have been _really_ bored during the past couple of days. Never-mind … at least what he had to say interested her …

… _AND you get to talk to her without feeling odd … and without being interrupted by anyone, so that you – _Aoshi, rather triumphantly, created a mental barrier, separating his inner voice from the rest of his brain. He was _not_ going to ruin this moment.

* * *

**A/N**

_PHEW_ …… that was rather long, wasn't it? Ooops … I didn't mean for it to be too long, but I couldn't find a suitable place to end this chapter with, except with this. I wonder whether having Saito talking to Tokio, Kenshin visiting Kaoru, and Aoshi talking to Misao all in one chapter sort of spoilt this chapter… (Oh dear … I just realized that I've forgotten about Megumi! Aargh … oops …) Heh, and I wonder how Kaoru would have reacted when she saw Kenshin! Heh heh …

Well … that's it for this chapter! Hope it was good!

See ya soon!

Siriusgirl1


	17. It won't work out

**A/N**

I'm back! And I hope it's with another interesting chapter – although I'm sorry for the delay. Previously, we were informed by our school, that once we finished our exams, we would officially start _our _summer holidays, since there was no point in us returning for the last two and a half weeks of the last term, with nothing much to do. That way, I was _overjoyed _as that meant that I would have returned to school for the next academic year, on the 31st of August. But no! We were told suddenly that we had to return to school on the 22nd of June, and start next year's school work! And we _actually_ are doing work now, which is completely unfair, as we only just finished out exams!

Oh well … life is unfair isn't it? sigh I just re-typed this chapter twice, not feeling fully satisfied with it … so I hope it's okay …

**Black Metalmark: **Heh heh … you play the flute too? Cool! I've always wanted to play the flute … but somehow or the other, I never got to do it. I really envy you. I just love the sound of the flute too! Soujirou is just so 'cluelessly-cute' isn't he? (There's no such word, is there? Oops) Man, that conversation between Aoshi and Misao was so hard to write! I'm glad that it came out okay. Kenshin … ah, when will the poor guy completely slip-up and tell Kaoru? We'll have to wait and see, won't we? Thanks for the review, and I hope you like this chapter as well!

**It.soniablade: **Thank-you! Oh yes, I _did_ read the new chapter! It's really interesting! I'm glad that Aoshi was the one who found out about what really happened – and about Megumi being such a … cow (to put it mildly). Thanks once again for the review, and I hope you like this chapter!

**Becky: **Ooops … I'm sorry if I kept you from studying for your finals! Heh, thanks for the review! I just hope that this chapter's good as well!

**Mandella-sama: **Heh, whoa … I'm glad you like this so much! The Aoshi and Misao moments I am leaving as my second objective just for a _short_ while … since Aoshi needs to find out about his family first, doesn't he? Heh heh … yes, Mrs. Kamiya _will_ tell Aoshi … and you will see what she is motivated by, towards the end of this chapter! Thanks for the review, and I hope you like this one as well!

**Hana-chan: **Heh heh … thanks! I _do_ try to add the humour in every now and then (since I don't like things that are sometimes _too_ serious … you know?) plus, with characters like Kenshin, Soujirou, Sano, Misao and Kaoru … the humour _has_ to be there, or else it'll be a shame! Yikes! Okay, I guess I didn't update soon … but I definitely _will_ update soon – don't want a crowd of rabid fan-girls attacking me! Thanks for the review, and enjoy this chapter!

**RKfaN930: **I don't know … is it really that good? I'm glad if it is! Sorry for not updating sooner, but I have to say that this chapter is longer than the previous one, so I hope that the length makes up for the delay! Thanks for the review, and I hope you like this one too!

**Kitsune KeNsHiN: **HIIIII! It's been a long time, hasn't it? Well … I _hope_ my exams went well too (or else I am DEAD!) How are things with you? Really busy these days huh? Heh … to be honest, at the beginning, when I finished my exams, I thought people would have given up on this story … but I guess they haven't! Yep, Sano should have thought twice before he did what he did, 'coz Saito's not going to be _too_ pleased when he finds out about it! I just love making Soujirou and Kenshin a little … clueless (okay, fine, not a 'little', but 'very' clueless). Heh, Misao _will_ jump over the fence – _if_ no-one kills her before she does that! Well, thanks a lot for the review! And I hope you like this chapter too!

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: It won't work out …**

****

Aoshi was lying on his back in bed, staring at the wooden ceiling of the room, watching the different shadows that were cast on the ceiling from the streetlamps and from the waning moon. He smiled inwardly when he remembered what Mrs. Kamiya had told him about Kenshin having come to see Kaoru earlier. So he _had_ listened to what he had told him in class that day. He guessed that Kaoru would have been extremely pleased – naturally, if the guy she had a crush on came to see her, especially when no-one else had come to see her …

He stared hard at the ceiling as he thought of someone _else_ being pleased, after having no visitors for the past couple of days. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered the cute pout that had been on her face when she had turned around thinking that he was someone else – and the way she had become all flustered and embarrassed after that.

One thing that puzzled him then – and that still puzzled him – was why he had stayed when she had asked him to. He never would have done that for anyone else. He would just have given them a frosty look and gone away, without changing his mind and staying. Then why had he stayed when she had asked him to?

_Because SHE asked you to._

He continued to stare at the ceiling, not doing anything to shut his inner-voice up. Why? Well, quite simply because it was right. That _was_ why he had stayed; because _she_ had _asked_ him to. He had given up arguing with his inner-voice for a while, seeing as how it was usually almost always right – which was probably why he always tried to argue with it. The life-style that she led certainly was different from what he led. The very layout and state of her room told him that. She was more carefree than he was … and, from what she had told him about walking around and trying to jump over fences _if_ her mother let her, she wasn't afraid to take risks.

He frowned. Was his brain trying to tell him that _he_ was afraid to take risks? If it was, it was mistaken. He may _act_ like a blank-faced block of ice, but that didn't mean that he was _stupid_. He knew that risks had to be taken in life – what _was_ the point of life if risks weren't taken? People just didn't know _that_ side of his character, as a result of the cold barrier he had placed around him. _Yeah … a cold barrier that's starting to melt a little … _Aoshi drew the line there. There was _no_ way that he could let the 'cold-barrier' melt. If it did, he would … get close to people, and would end up being hurt. Again.

He pushed those thoughts aside as something from his conversation with Misao flashed across his mind, causing a small smile to form on his lips.

**Flashback:**

" … _Apart from all of that, nothing else has happened …" He glanced at her, waiting for a response, when he caught sight of her rubbing her eyes, stifling a yawn. He looked at the round clock on the wall hurriedly, and his unusual blue eyes widened ever so slightly. It was 9:55. He had been here, talking to Misao for close to two hours! _

"_Oh – so – sorry about that …" said Misao, sheepishly smiling at him, knowing that he had caught her yawning. "But – you were saying?" _

"_It's late, I should get going …" said Aoshi, stretching and wincing as he felt his back ache from sitting in the same position for a long time. Misao shook her head fervently._

"_No – no, I – I didn't yawn because – "_

" – _You need to rest and – "_

"_Aoshi, seriously, I didn't yawn because I wasn't interested in what you were saying … I just – " Misao stopped when she saw him glance sharply at her. " – Did – did I say something wrong?" Aoshi shook his head quickly, surprised at the girl's behaviour. _

"_No …" he said. _

"_Yeah … and you were saying?" asked Misao, rubbing her eyes again, before turning to face Aoshi, placing a big smile on her face and hoping that it would hide the tiredness she felt. She should have known that that wouldn't work with someone as observant as Aoshi._

"_I was saying that that's all that has happened," said Aoshi, standing up and running a hand through his now damply dry hair. "You should rest – walking around the house and garden today really does seem to have made you tired." Misao sighed. _

"_It's that obvious?" she asked, slowly. Aoshi nodded._

"_Yes." _

" … _Damn … if I only did this little, and I'm this tired, how will I be able to run?" growled Misao. Aoshi stared at her tensed figure, before shaking his head._

"_It takes time … your body's still recovering from all those pain-killers and stuff," he said. "Don't worry about it …" Misao didn't say anything for a while, as she stared at her hands. Aoshi stood where he was for a moment, wondering whether he should just leave without saying anything or not. Misao looked up at him, a grateful smile on her lips._

"_Thanks a lot Aoshi," she said, really meaning it. "I mean … you didn't have to stay … just because I was bored." Aoshi shrugged, not wanting to say anything to that, as he himself was wondering why he had stayed just because she had said she was bored. He watched as Misao yawned again. "And tell Kaoru – " Misao stopped suddenly, wrapping her arms around her. " – that I said she better get well soon and come here and see me," she continued, starting to stand up from the bed, to close the windows. No wonder it was quite cold in the room. She winced slightly when she felt her knee protest as she attempted to walk casually again – especially after a whole day of walking. _

"_I'll do it…" said Aoshi, walking across the room briskly, and reaching the windows before Misao could take three steps forward. Misao couldn't help but stare as he stood in front of the windows, with his back to her. What made her stare was the effect the light from the streetlamps had on Aoshi's rather loose, beige t-shirt. The effect only served in clearly outlining Aoshi's body, through the loose t-shirt. Misao felt her face grow hot as she stared, with rather … startling images entering her mind. Images involving Aoshi with – " – isao? Misao?" Misao averted her gaze hurriedly, hoping that she wasn't blushing._

"_T – Thanks …" she stammered, staring at her feet instead. Aoshi nodded, although he had noticed her red-tinged cheeks before she had looked away. _

"_I really should get going now," he said at last, nodding at her. Misao looked up, and looked away when she saw him looking at her. _

"_Oh, ok …" she said, immediately berating herself for how stupid that sounded. Her thoughts in such turmoil, she started walking forward, only to trip over her own feet and to momentarily lose her balance. Reflexes kicking in, she grabbed the edge of the bed to steady herself, just as she felt an arm wrapping itself around her waist, steadying her. She looked down at the strong arm that was wrapped around her waist. Pushing aside ALL thoughts that were running around her head, she turned her head to her left and found herself staring at some beige material. Raising her head slightly, she was caught by a pair of ice-blue eyes, and found it rather difficult to break away from their gaze. _

_Tearing her eyes away from his at last, Misao looked down, just as Aoshi straightened and took his arm away from her waist, realizing that she had already steadied herself. And realizing that he had held on to her for a bit TOO long, in his opinion. _

_Misao waited until he stepped away from her, before she dared to look at him again, with a smile on her face. "T – Thanks …" she mumbled, with false cheer. "I – I guess I really am clumsy …" Aoshi nodded, absent-mindedly, and was rather startled by the glare that Misao sent him. _

"_What?"_

"_So you think I AM clumsy?" she asked. Aoshi shook his head hurriedly._

"_No …" he said, wondering how she managed to change emotions like that. One minute, she was really tired and exhausted, the next she was embarrassed … and then she was in a threatening mood. _

"_Good," said Misao, grinning. "Because I'm not clumsy." Aoshi nodded – from being in a threatening mood, she had suddenly got back her cheer. The way she managed to switch between emotions … intrigued him. He shook his head inwardly. What the hell was he thinking!  
_

"_Misao, I – " Mrs. Makimachi stopped when she saw both Aoshi and Misao glance at her, Misao looking slightly flushed and Aoshi looking … well, looking normal. " – Was wondering whether you've forgotten your manners." _

"_Huh?"_

"_Aoshi, have you eaten? If not, you can always have dinner here – there's no problem," said Mrs. Makimachi, sending her daughter a dark look. "I'm sorry if Misao hasn't asked you that already … she does tend to be a bad host."_

"_Hey!" protested Misao, changing emotions and facial expressions again. "I'm NOT a bad host – I – I just … I was going to ask him when you came!"_

"_Yes, I'm sure you were," said Mrs. Makimachi, raising an eyebrow at her. "Aoshi? Have you had dinner?" Aoshi nodded pushing aside the slight flash of pain he had momentarily felt when he watched the interaction between the mother and daughter._

"_Yeah, I've had dinner already," he said. "And I should get going …" Mrs. Makimachi sighed._

"_Well, the next time you come over, come over for dinner too," she said. "You haven't tasted the famous Aoiya noodles have you?" Aoshi shook his head, wondering what was so important about Aoiya noodles, as he remembered Sano moaning for them once or twice during break._

"_The Aoiya's our restaurant," explained Misao, seeing his slightly puzzled expression. "Well, it's Jiya's restaurant, and Kachan works there. Most people love the special noodles dish that we serve at the Aoiya …" _

"_Oh …" said Aoshi. "Well … thanks for the offer, Makimachi-san." Mrs. Makimachi shook her head as she watched Aoshi step forward, obviously anxious to leave._

"_I'll show you out," she said, beating her daughter to it. She was slightly startled when she saw the glare Misao was giving her, for suggesting to do what she had wanted to do. "You, young lady, are not going anywhere. You've done enough walking for one day," she said, walking to the door. Aoshi turned around and nodded at Misao. _

"_I'll tell Kaoru-san to visit you then …" he said. "Good night." _

"_Good night …" said Misao, watching as he walked out of the room._

The last thing that Aoshi saw, before he felt a wave of drowsiness hit him was a bright smile and a pair of deep-blue eyes on a face that he seemed to be thinking of quite a lot, during the past couple of days.

* * *

**The next day:**

Kaoru walked down the stairs, frowning slightly when she couldn't find her mother anywhere. Her temperature had gone down, and was almost at the normal body-temperature, and all that was left of her bout of flu, was a slightly blocked nose. She was staying at home to just 'fully' recover, so that she would be able to go back to school the next day. Speaking of school … she found herself grinning widely as she remembered what had happened last night.

She could still remember the shock she had received when she had told whoever it was that had been knocking on her opened room door to come in … and when _Kenshin_ walked in. She was surprised that she hadn't got a heart attack and died then and there. She had been _thinking_ about him at that moment, wondering whether _anyone_ cared about her not coming to school for the past two days … and there he was, standing by her bed, looking a little concerned _and_ sheepish at the same time.

She would never forget the way he had stammered for a while, before holding up a box of chocolates, with an extremely sheepish smile on his face.

"_Gomen, Kaoru … I didn't know what to bring you … and – I thought of flowers – but I thought that you might not like flowers …" he had spluttered. "Then I remembered that – that you love chocolates so I brought you some. Is … that okay?"_

She wouldn't have minded the flowers at all – especially if they were from him. What girl wouldn't like flowers if the guy she had a _major_ crush gave them to her? But the fact that he _remembered_ that she _loved_ chocolate … and that he had _actually_ brought her something – that was what had really touched her, and made her blush for a moment, before she had been able to thank him for it. He hadn't _needed_ to bring her anything. His presence alone was enough._ Especially since NO-ONE else came to see me!_

"_You should rest and get better soon, Kaoru. Nothing is normal without you around …" the red-haired male had said, before flushing and shaking his head. She almost spat out the medicine she had been drinking, in surprise. Was he – did he say … what she THOUGHT he said? "I – I meant – it's not … it's not normal without you and – and Misao around …" Kenshin had added, hurriedly, concerned as she started choking. _

Kaoru blushed as she remembered what he had said – and how he had quickly added something to it, to cover it up. She was starting to wonder … whether … whether things _would_ work out between them. _I mean, he didn't need to visit me just because I was sick … or rather, just because Aoshi-san suggested it to him._

Ah, that was the other thing that made Kaoru feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Kenshin had told her that he had found out that she was sick from Aoshi, who had said that it would help if he dropped by to see her. She knew that Aoshi knew she liked Kenshin – her _dear_ friends had told him that. All this time, she hadn't really cared about it … but now … well, now, she couldn't wait until Aoshi got home. She had a _lot_ to thank him for. And speaking of Aoshi, she wondered why he hadn't been in his room when Kenshin had checked, to talk to him for a moment before leaving. Kenshin had told her that her mother had said that Aoshi had gone over to Misao's house to give her the books she had wanted … but _surely_ that would only have taken a couple of minutes. If that was the case, then why hadn't Aoshi been there when Kenshin had been about to leave, around twenty minutes after he had come?

_Unless …_

"_What_ are you doing standing at the top of the stairs and looking as though an evil thought has crossed your mind?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, snapping her out of her thoughts. Kaoru managed a weak smile at her mother, before her curiosity got the better of her.

"Okasan … what time did Aoshi-san come back home yesterday?" she asked, looking at her mother.

"Aoshi? Well, after athletics practice – "

"No, after he went to Misao-chan's place to give her the books," interrupted Kaoru, wondering why a small smile was forming on her mother's face.

"Well … he came back at around 10:00," said Mrs. Kamiya, waiting for her daughter's reaction. It was just as she had expected.

"At – at – _10:00_!" spluttered Kaoru, her eyes widening. "Are – are you _sure_!"

"Yes," said Mrs. Kamiya. "I was the one that opened the door for him. Hisashi, though, was not very pleased with Aoshi, saying that he had probably been disturbing the – " She sighed as she saw the far-away expression on her daughter's face. " – You're not listening to me, are you?"

"Oh … my … god …" said Kaoru, a wide grin finding itself on her face. "He – he stayed – he was – he was with -?" she stared incredulously at her mother, who nodded.

"Yes, he was with Misao until then," said Mrs. Kamiya, smiling. "I have to admit that I was extremely surprised as well. When has Aoshi _ever_ stayed out so late?"

"Okasan, do you _know_ what _this_ MEANS!" exclaimed Kaoru, raising her voice in joy.

"No, Kaoru, I don't," said Mrs. Kamiya, wincing as she raised her voice.

"Well, see, Aoshi-san didn't even need to listen to you and take the books to Misao-chan's house in the first place, and whilst you may think that he did that because he couldn't say no to you – which was probably true too – I think that it was probably because by doing what you asked him to do, he would be able to see Misao-chan with a reasonable excuse," said Kaoru, speaking so fast that Mrs. Kamiya found her head whirling. "And then, I would have thought – and I'm sure that you thought the same – that Aoshi-san would have given Misao-chan the books, and then taken his leave or whatever, and come back, where he would have been able to meet Kenshin. Even if Makimachi-san had asked Aoshi-san to stay for a while, there's _no_ way that she would have kept him for so long. Which _means_ that someone else kept Aoshi there … and I don't think that they would have managed to do it by force because Aoshi-san is not the type of person to be threatened by force, and besides, I don't think there's anyone in that house that can use force on him. So _that_ means that Misao-chan was the one that kept Aoshi-san back. And _that_ means that Aoshi-san _willingly_ stayed there, because I don't think that Misao has recovered enough to keep him there by force. And if Aoshi-san _willingly_ stayed there, with Misao-chan, then _that_ means that – "

"_Kaoru_."

" – he might be thinking that – hai?" asked Kaoru, stopping her rant, to see her mother staring at her, rubbing the side of her head.

"Please, _stop_. What have I told you about speaking a bit slower?" asked Mrs. Kamiya, feeling the beginnings of a headache approaching her. Kaoru scratched her head sheepishly.

"Gomen, Okasan! I didn't realize that I was babbling!" she said. Mrs. Kamiya sighed. Her daughter _never_ realized that she was babbling.

"And _speaking_ of visits, how was Kenshin's visit yesterday?" she asked, smiling as a tinge of red appeared on her daughter's face.

"It – it was … good …" said Kaoru, looking at her feet. "He even … brought chocolates." Mrs. Kamiya smiled, relieved. Her daughter _was_ in love with Himura Kenshin – and _not_ with Shinomori Aoshi.

"I see …" she said, still feeling relieved. She had had nightmares of what would happen should Kaoru _actually_ have feelings for Aoshi. How would she be able to tell her that she couldn't?

"Okasan, do you need me for anything right now?" asked Kaoru, suddenly.

"Now? No, I don't – why?" asked Mrs. Kamiya. Kaoru grinned.

"I'm going to go and pay our little Misao-chan a visit," she said, her eyes glinting evilly. Mrs. Kamiya sighed.

"Go ahead … but _please_ don't agitate the poor girl more than she already is," she said, knowing that Kaoru would go _on_ and _on_ with teasing the girl.

"I'll _try _my best!" said Kaoru, smiling at her before running down the stairs and walking outside, closing the front door behind her. Mrs. Kamiya sighed again as she heard the front door close. Kaoru _certainly_ was recovering from the flu, and her cheerful spirits proved it. _I wonder … could it be because of the visitor she had yesterday?_

* * *

**Mitsurugi High-School:**

"Sanosuke! Give that back!" demanded Megumi, during break, glaring at the boy seated next to her at their usual table. She winced in disgust as Sano opened his mouth to say something – whilst munching his sandwich, or rather, whilst munching _her_ sandwich, which he had stolen.

"Thwarry kwitswune bwut – "

"Oh _just_ shut up!" growled Megumi, turning her face away from Sano, only to see Yahiko and Soujirou grinning at her. "What?"

"Nothing," said Yahiko, shaking his head.

"Ah … has anyone seen Kenshin?" asked Megumi, looking around. "He's usually here by this time …"

"That reminds me, Kaoru's not in school _today_ either," said Yahiko, frowning. "I wonder what's wrong with her."

"She's sick …" said Kenshin, smiling at everyone before sliding down the bench and sitting next to Yahiko. Everyone turned to him.

"Sick? What do you mean?" asked Yahiko. "There's no need to stand, Aoshi. You can sit down." Aoshi said nothing, as he was busy considering his choices. On the one hand … he _could_ sit down next to Megumi … and have to deal with her rather 'questionable' glances … or he could sit down next to Soujirou, and do his best to try and leave the boy unharmed.

"Aoshi? Aren't you going to sit down?" asked Kenshin, turning and seeing him standing. Sano grinned, as he drank a sip of water.

"He's having trouble making a choice, Kenshin," he said, evilly. "On the one hand, he can sit next to kitsune – " He winced as he was whacked on the head by Megumi. " – Or on the other hand he can sit next to _Soujirou_." Aoshi glared at Sano out of eyes that were somewhat hidden by slightly _longer_ bangs.

"Oro?" asked Kenshin.

" … Heh … what are you going to do, Aoshi?" asked Yahiko, catching on and grinning as well. Looking from Yahiko, to Sano and to Aoshi, Megumi realized what was going on, and she couldn't help but smile. _Yes … Aoshi's jealous of Soujirou. Let's see … what can I do to help …? _Making up her mind, she turned to Aoshi, and gave him a bright smile, winking at the same time … and smiled inwardly as she saw Aoshi's face pale ever-so-slightly. _Now let's see if you will actually sit with Soujirou …_

Sure enough, a second later, Soujirou looked up from his food, smiling as usual, when he felt the temperature around him drop a few degrees. Seeing Aoshi seated next to him made him realize _why_ the temperature had dropped.

"Aoshi …" he said, smiling at his senior.

" … …" Aoshi nodded briefly at him, before turning to his food. _Why did I agree to follow Himura?_ Kenshin, _totally_ ignorant of what was going on, turned back to Yahiko.

"Aa … Kaoru is sick, but she's slowly recovering," he said.

"What was wrong with her?" asked Megumi, turning to Kenshin.

"She had fever and the flu," answered the boy.

"Man … we should all go and see her sometime soon then," suggested Sano. "I mean … she _must_ be really sick if she hasn't been coming to school for the past three days." Yahiko nodded.

"What do you say, Soujirou?" he asked, turning to the boy. "Wanna come and see her today?"

"Well … I guess that I can …" said Soujirou, slowly.

"Or are you going to be busy?" asked Sano, noticing the hesitant way the boy had spoken. He didn't miss the quick glance that Soujirou gave Aoshi.

"No … I was just planning on going and seeing Misao today …" said Soujirou, slowly. Kenshin scratched his head as he saw Yahiko, Sano and Megumi _immediately_ turn their heads towards Aoshi, and as Aoshi glared at them. _Oro … I don't think that I understand what's going on here …_

"Well, can't we go and see _both_ of them?" asked Megumi, after a while. "Since they _do_ live next door to each other …"

"Yeah … that sounds like a good idea …" said Sano, as Yahiko nodded.

"Ah, Aoshi, speaking of Misao, you were over at her place yesterday, weren't you?" asked Kenshin, smiling at Aoshi as he remembered what Mrs. Kamiya had told him the other day. Aoshi _really_ did wish that looks could kill. If they _could_, Himura Kenshin would be _long_ gone by now.

"_Oh?"_ asked Megumi, raising her eyebrow.

"_You_ were _over_ at _Misao_'s place?" asked Sano, his eyes wide.

"Oh _my_ god …" muttered Yahiko, surprised.

"How _is_ Misao, Aoshi? Is she any better? Or is she _really_ bored?" asked Soujirou, smiling. "Aoshi?" Aoshi nodded, choosing to stare at his food instead of staring at Soujirou.

" … She said that she will be getting her cast off tomorrow …" he said, wincing at the exclamations and cries that the statement received.

"What!" yelled Sano, surprised.

"Oh my god! That means – that means – " Yahiko stopped, a grin forming on his face.

" – That means that she will be able to take part in the tournament!" finished Sano, sitting up straight and looking as though that was the best news that he had heard in _ages_. Well, it was.

" … That's what she said …" said Aoshi, glancing at Soujirou as he sensed a change in the boy's life-force.

" … But is it safe for her to take part in the tournament?" asked Soujirou, softly. " … I mean, the running she will be able to manage somehow, but the hurdles?" There was a small silence at the table.

"You're right Soujirou," said Kenshin, looking grave. "It might not be the best thing for Misao to do …"

"If she _wants_ to do it … I don't see why _we_ should complain," said Aoshi, slowly, directing his statement at Soujirou, who glanced sharply at him.

"It's not a question of whether she wants to run or not," said Soujirou, slowly, not taking his eyes off Aoshi. "It's a question of whether it will endanger her physique … by injuring her leg further." Kenshin, dense as he was, did _not_ like the aura that was surrounding the two boys.

"Ano – why don't we – "

"The doctor has apparently said that it was okay for her to take part in the tournament," said Aoshi, interrupting Kenshin. "Unless you happen to know _more_ than what _he_ knows … I would suggest that we take the doctor's word for it." Sano and Yahiko were staring at Aoshi with their mouth's slightly open, whereas Megumi was observing the two boy's faces carefully.

"When a person is under _pressure,_ they say things that they normally might not say, for the patient's benefit, and we all know what kind of pressure Misao can put on a person," said Soujirou, calmly. "I'm sure the doctor would have said the truth when he said that she _can_ take part in the tournament … but it might not be safe for her."

" … But she's made up her mind to take part in it," said Aoshi, ignoring the amazed glances he was getting from anyone. "So I don't think that you will be able to stop her, if _you_ know how stubborn she can get."

"Yes, I do know how stubborn and strong-willed she is," said Soujirou, smiling. "And I will never try and stop her from doing what she wants to do. I am just worried about her – and about her future. If anything happens to her, she might have to suffer the consequences for the rest of her life … and for someone as cheery and bubbly as Misao – well, I can't imagine her suffering with a bad leg for the rest of her life."

"I would have thought that the – " Aoshi stopped abruptly when he sensed someone else was standing next to the table. He turned around, to see Fujita Tokio standing next to the table, an apologetic look on her face.

"Tokio-san," said Sano, snapping out of his amazement.

"I … I just wanted to know whether we're having practice today," said Tokio, smiling at him. Sano nodded, glancing briefly at Kenshin, who was utterly grateful for the interruption.

"Yes," he said, nodding.

"How was late-detention, Tokio-san?" asked Yahiko, remembering that she had been stuck with Saito. Tokio looked surprised.

"It was … as okay as a late-detention can be," she said, shrugging.

"Did that freak do anything to you?" asked Sano, grunting as Megumi poked him in the ribs.

"Freak?"

"He means Saito," said Kenshin, shaking his head.

"Oh – well, no, not really," said Tokio. "But he was saying something about someone else signing his name in the late-book and how he was going to find out who it was and stuff …" She tilted her head to the side as she saw Sano turn slightly pale. "Sano? Are you okay?"

"Er – yeah – he's fine Tokio-san …" said Yahiko, grinning weakly at the girl. "You _are_ coming for practice aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," said Tokio, glancing at Sano again, before nodding. "Well, I'll see you guys later …" Kenshin waited until Tokio had walked away, before turning to Sano, worry present in his eyes.

"Sano … I hate to say this … but I told you so," he said.

"Damn … I _hate_ it when you're always right," said Sano, wiping a few beads of sweat off his pale face. Megumi glanced at Kenshin, confused.

"What's going on? Why does Sano look like he's in deep trouble?" she asked.

"Because he is …" said Soujirou, sighing. "He signed in Saito-san's name in the late-book … and Saito-san got a late detention because of that."

"Were you _mad_! How _could_ you do such a thing! Didn't you _know_ that it could get you into _serious _trouble!" cried out Megumi, glaring at the pale-faced Sano. Sano scowled at her.

"Yes, but I didn't think that he would take it that far …" he said.

"This is _Saito_ we're talking about, Sano …" said Kenshin, shaking his head. "You shouldn't have done that …"

"_Yes_, you've _told_ me that about a _million_ times now," grumbled Sano, as the atmosphere around the table turned into a rather glum and gloomy one.

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

Misao was sitting on one of the sofas in the living room, her injured leg stretched out on the low coffee table, a far-away expression on her face as she recalled the events of last night, with Aoshi. One thing that she _still_ couldn't believe was the fact that Aoshi had stayed with her, when she had asked him to stay. Why had he stayed? She had never, in her wildest dreams, thought that he _would_ stay, but he had.

And then … the fact that he had spoken normally to her … that was just amazing. The man that usually either said 'yes' or 'no' or spoke in one-word sentences … had talked freely to her. _And he looked damn good while he was at it … _

She shook her head inwardly, screaming at herself to stop. This wasn't good. She was thinking about him _way_ too much. She shivered as she remembered the way he had steadied her when she almost tripped over her own feet … and how he had looked when he had been standing in front of the window, looking – the sound of the door-bell ringing snapped her out of her thoughts. She moved to stand up, when her mother appeared in front of her, seemingly out of nowhere.

"I'll get it," she said, walking to the door. Misao sat back on the sofa, closing her eyes as her mind conjured up a picture of Aoshi, staring at her out of uniquely intriguing ice-blue eyes.

"Man … I've got to stop this …" she mumbled to herself, despite the fact that the image was still in her mind.

"Got to stop what?" asked a familiar voice, causing Misao's eyes to snap open. She stared at the girl standing in front of her.

"Kaoru!" she exclaimed, standing up hurriedly. "You're okay!" She threw her arms around the girl, hugging her. "I was so bored! How are you? Are you feeling better?"

"Misao-chan, calm down," said Kaoru, laughing at the girl's energy. "Yes, I'm okay … I'm even going to school tomorrow."

"You didn't even _tell_ me that you were sick! You're mean, Kaoru," grumbled Misao, sitting back down on the sofa.

"Gomen … I didn't get the chance to," said Kaoru, sitting down next to her friend. "But … how did _you_ know that I was sick?"

"Aoshi told me …" said Misao, flushing slightly as she said his name. _God, he's not even here and I'm flushing when I just mention his name!_

"Ah, yes … I _heard_ about Aoshi-san …" said Kaoru, grinning at her friend. Misao attempted to glare at her, but failed.

"Re – really?" she asked.

"Yes," said Kaoru, carefully. "I never thought that Aoshi-san would spend such a long time at anyone's place … much less yours." She stared hard at Misao. "I want the details – _every_ single one of them."

"There – it – _nothing_ happened Kaoru," said Misao, shaking her head. "We just talked … and then he helped me when I was clumsily tripping over my own feet … and … that's about it." Kaoru's raised her eyebrows at her.

"So he was at your place for what – 2 hours, and all that you did was talk?" asked Kaoru, skeptically.

"Yes, Kaoru, all we did was talk," said Misao. It was true – they hadn't really done anything else, except her messing a few things up, and blushing once or twice.

"Mou … did he say anything interesting at all?" asked Kaoru, rather disappointed.

"No …" said Misao, abruptly.

"What!" asked Kaoru, frowning. "Even Kenshin managed to say something when he came over yes – " Kaoru stopped, as Misao stared at her, her eyes as wide as saucers.

"WHAT! Kenshin did WHAT!" shouted Misao, shocked. "Did he tell you that he LOVES you!"

"Misao-chan!" squealed Kaoru, trying to punch the girl but failing miserably. "Keep your voice down!"

"You mean – he – he ACTUALLY told you that he LOVES you!" yelled Misao, surprised.

"MISAO-CHAN LOWER YOUR VOICE, PLEASE!" screamed Kaoru, at the top of her voice. Mrs. Makimachi, busy making tea in the kitchen, shook her head as she heard the two girls shout. Honestly … had _she_ been that loud when she was 16? "If you don't I will shout about Aoshi-san!" This time, Kaoru avoided Misao as she tried to hit her, to get her to shut up. When the two had managed to calm down, they stared at each other for a moment, before speaking again.

"Okay, firstly, why did Kenshin come? And when?" asked Misao, speaking first.

"Well, he had asked Aoshi-san why I hadn't come to school … and – oh Misao, I _love_ Aoshi-san!" said Kaoru, emotionally. Noticing the glare that Misao was sending her way, she shook her head hurriedly. "No, no – I don't _love_ him in that sense … I just _love_ him …" She stopped, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Aoshi-san told Kenshin to come and see me … and he CAME! He even brought me some chocolates! The ones I love!"

"Whoa … I … Aoshi _actually_ said that?" asked Misao, surprised. "And leave him aside; I can't believe that Kenshin actually came!"

"I know! And he said that nothing's normal without me around," said Kaoru, blushing. "And … I started choking like an idiot, probably ruining whatever _else_ he was going to say, and making him say that nothing was normal without you _and_ me around …"

"Mou … why did you start choking, you idiot!" growled Misao. "Stupid idiot!"

"I know," wailed Kaoru. "But, Misao-chan … what do you think he meant by that?" Misao was thoughtful for a moment. She knew that Kenshin had a thing for Kaoru and vice-versa … but she didn't think that either of them was in a position to tell each other that. Yet. Once she got better, she would change all of that.

"Kaoru … I think that you're _very_ lucky," she said, at last. "He _does_ have something for you …" Kaoru's face turned bright red.

"You – you think so?" she asked, looking happy. Misao nodded, happy for her friend.

"Yes," she said. "I really think so." She grinned suddenly. "And if I were you, I'd do something about it soon. This _is_ Kenshin's last year in school, you know …" She immediately wished that she hadn't said that, as Kaoru's face turned pale.

"Oh no … I – after this year I – Misao-chan! After this year, I will probably _never_ see Kenshin again!" wailed Kaoru, her eyes widening.

"Kaoru – don't be stupid. If you two get together, you will _definitely_ seem him again, although not in school," said Misao. "Besides, I don't think that Kenshin will ever forget us when he goes to University. Kaoru for god's sake, don't be stupid! Don't think about the future, think about the present!" Kaoru nodded.

"Yes … yes, you're right …" she said, gaining her colour. "Thanks … I – Misao-chan, you won't be seeing Aoshi-san after this year either!"

"Kaoru what are you – " Misao stopped. Kaoru was right. Aoshi was in his 3rd Year in High-school too. He would be leaving … when Kenshin left … which meant that … " – No …"

"Now Misao-chan, you shouldn't think about the future! Think about the present!" said Kaoru, giving Misao her own advice. "Besides, when the two of you fall in love … I don't think that he will be able to forget about you …"

"Okay, can we stop talking about this?" asked Misao, feeling her spirits dropping for some reason. Why? Well, one of her inner-voices had just told her something rather depressing. Or rather, it had asked her something rather depressing. _'Do you really think that someone as good-looking and classy as Shinomori Aoshi … will EVER fall in love with someone like you, who, until recently, lived in a fantasy world?'_

"Okay, we will," said Kaoru. "Now, tell me, what exactly did you two talk about?" Misao shook her head, not really feeling like talking about it anymore.

"Kaoru, it was nothing, really," she said, slowly. "Please, can we … talk about something else?"

"Why? Don't you want to talk about Aoshi?" asked Kaoru, nudging her teasingly.

"No."

"Misao-chan?" she asked. "Is something wrong? I mean … why wouldn't you want to talk about Aoshi-san? You've always 'enjoyed' talking about him …"

"It's no use Kaoru," said Misao, sighing. "What would _he_ see in someone like _me_?"

"Misao-chan!"

"No, I'm serious …" said Misao, not looking at her friend. "I mean … I'm just an immature, plain girl … whereas he's – "

"Makimachi Misao, you will **not** put yourself down – especially _not_ in front of me!" exclaimed Kaoru, surprised at the change in Misao's behaviour. "Are you feeling tired or anything? Is that why you have suddenly _changed_?"

"No … I just realized the truth," said Misao. "Aoshi would be better off with someone like … someone like Megumi …"

"Misao-chan what are – "

"Can we _please_ change the subject, Kaoru?" asked Misao, pleadingly. Kaoru stared at Misao for a full minute, before giving in, sighing.

"As you wish …" she said. "How's your leg?"

"It's getting better … the doctor said that he will be taking the cast off tomorrow, so it should be easier for me to walk around and train for the tournament …" said Misao.

"What? You're going to take part?" asked Kaoru, surprised. "But – Misao-chan, are you sure that it's safe?"

"Yes … I mean, the doctor said it's okay, so – "

"Does Soujirou know about this?" asked Kaoru, surprised. "Or anyone else? Yahiko? Kenshin? Sano?" Misao shook her head.

"No … none of them know about it yet," she said. "They haven't come to see me, so I didn't get the chance to tell them about it …"

* * *

**Mitsurugi High-School:**

Saito nodded at the guard that stood by the gates that led to the school, as he walked up to him. The guard seemed to be a rather easy-going fellow, and he seemed surprised to see him.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" asked the guard, smiling politely at him. Something about the boy … made him dislike him …

"Yes," said Saito, politely, as there was no reason for him to be rude to the guard. "I would like to see the late-book, if you don't mind."

"The late-book?" asked the guard. "Ano, I'm afraid that I can't let you do that. It's standard procedure. Students have asked for the book in the past just to cut their names off the book, if they've been late …"

"I am aware of that," said Saito. "But, if I look at it in front of you, without a pen in my hand, that should be fine, shouldn't it?" The guard stared at him for a moment, before nodding, sighing. Going inside the little room that he had, he came back out a moment later, with a thick book in his hand.

"Is something wrong? Is that why you're doing this?" he asked, handing the book to Saito.

"Some _idiot_ wrote my name in, instead of their own, when they got late," said Saito, flipping the pages to the date he wanted. "And I was stuck in late-detention because of that."

"Oh …" said the guard, watching Saito carefully, just in-case he tried to change anything. Saito stared at the untidy handwriting that his name had been written in. Somehow, everything about the handwriting screamed 'Sagar – he shook his head. No, he shouldn't jump to conclusions before he had actual proof.

"Do you remember who wrote this?" he asked, pointing at the handwriting. The guard looked at it for a moment, before shaking his head.

"I'm sorry … but a lot of people get late, so I don't really keep track of all of them," he said. "Hang on – this name 'Saito' … is that you?" Saito nodded.

"Yes, why?" he asked. The guard frowned.

"If I remember correctly … someone … someone tall did sign your name in …" he said. "I remember asking him his name, when he refused to take that awful red bandana off his head …" Saito's amber eyes narrowed into slits. He was right, then. That _idiot_ had signed his name … He gave the book back to the guard, nodding at him. The guard shivered as he looked at the narrowed amber slits that Saito stared at him with. _Whoa … this kid looks dangerous …_

"Thanks," he said, as the guard took the book. He turned around and walked back the way he had come. Sagara Sanosuke … had effectively humiliated him. "That _idiot_ will _not_ know _what_ hit him …" he growled, his eyes still narrowed.

* * *

**Later that evening**

**Kamiya Residence:**

Aoshi closed his chemistry text-book, before standing up and stretching his stiff limbs. Glancing at the opened window, he saw that it was a starry evening, just a perfect evening to go outside and take in a few breaths of fresh air. Leaving his books on the table, he walked out of his room, closing it behind him. Kaoru's door was wide open. He paused, wondering whether he should ask her about Kenshin's visit … but he immediately decided not to. He shouldn't interfere with anything – although he already had.

He was about to walk down the corridor, when Kaoru, poking her head out of her room, stopped him. He turned around as she called out his name, and saw her standing at the doorway of her room, fiddling with the hem of her shorts.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Well – er – I … I just – " Kaoru stopped, wondering how to say it. Aoshi waited patiently for a few seconds, but she didn't say anything.

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked, instead. Kaoru nodded.

"Yeah …" she said.

"That's good …" said Aoshi, standing awkwardly, waiting for her to say whatever it was that she wanted to say. " … Well, I'll – "

"Aoshi-san I – " Kaoru looked up at him, the smile on her face making him feel uncomfortable. What she did next almost gave him a heart-attack – as it was, he looked furtively around, to see if Mr. Kamiya was around to kill him. He looked down at Kaoru, who currently had her arms wrapped around him in a … hug. Despite the fact that he felt uncomfortable … it felt … it felt like it was a _normal_ thing …

" – Kaoru-san …" he said, softly.

"Aoshi-san, thank you! Thank-you so much!" said Kaoru, her voice rather muffled, as she buried her face in his t-shirt, to hide her embarrassment at doing something as rash as this to Aoshi. She guessed that he would never speak to her again. "Kenshin came here because of you! I don't know _how_ I should thank you!" Aoshi was surprised. Kenshin had told her that he had asked him to come? What an idiot - he wasn't supposed to say that.

"I – didn't – "

"I know you told him to come, Aoshi-san, so don't lie," said Kaoru, interrupting him.

" … … …" Mrs. Kamiya walked out of her room at that moment, ready to run down the stairs to the kitchen, where she had left something one the stove. She stopped short when she saw the two figures in front of her, hugging. Her face paled. Aoshi and Kaoru. _Aoshi_ and _Kaoru._ And she had thought …

"I really appreciate what you did, Aoshi-san … and I'll never forget it," said Kaoru, moving away from Aoshi and flashing him a bright smile. She stared at him for another moment, before she ran back into her room, hoping that she hadn't frightened Aoshi out of his wits. Aoshi stood where he was, momentarily stunned. Not because he had been hugged … and not because Kenshin had _foolishly_ told Kaoru that _he_ had asked him to come, instead of saying that he had _wanted_ to come. That brief hug … had seemed … comfortable. Like … like when good-friends … or family members hugged each other.

He shook his head. He was thinking too much. He had to go out. For the fresh air. Sighing inwardly, he walked down the stairs, leaving behind a stunned Mrs. Kamiya, who suddenly felt her knees weaken.

Aoshi and Kaoru.

* * *

**Kashiwazaki-Residence:**

Misao stared up at the stars as she leaned against the low fence that surrounded the whole Kashiwazaki Residence. The whole road was quiet, and not a single vehicle had gone down it for the past twenty minutes. She had been standing outside, leaning against the fence, and staring at the road for the past twenty minutes, thinking.

Ever-since her conversation with Kaoru, she had somehow or the other managed to get really depressed. And she didn't like it one bit. She wondered why her mood had changed ever-since Kaoru had come to visit her. _Oh come on, don't pretend like you don't know. You know why you got depressed. Kenshin's got feelings for Kaoru, and he's making it obvious now, obviously showing that he wouldn't mind something happening between the two of them. You got depressed because it made you think about you … and Aoshi. And because you wondered whether ANYTHING like that would happen to you._

Misao sighed as she listened to her inner-voice. It was right. That _was _why she had got depressed. She didn't like this strange behaviour of hers though. Why was she wasting time thinking about these things? What will happen will happen – and if she and Aoshi weren't meant to be together … then they probably wouldn't get together. _Says who?_ Misao sighed again. Her inner-voice was right again. Who said that things worked like that? Hang-on, didn't she believe in that? Things that were meant to be would happen, and those that weren't meant to be, wouldn't happen?

* * *

**Kamiya-Residence:**

Aoshi closed the front door behind him and walked down the three steps that led to the garden that was a part of the Kamiya property. His mind was still whirling. Walking across the garden, until he was next to the gate, he leaned on it, letting out a deep sigh. His mind was unstable, what with the things that had taken place during the day – and things that had taken place yesterday.

Kaoru … had _really_ seemed grateful, for asking Kenshin to come and see her. He nodded. That was natural – however it happened, the guy she had a crush on came to see her. What he _didn't_ understand was why he had felt as though the 'hug' was … natural …

And then, he was still berating himself for what had happened during break, with him and Soujirou. He didn't know why he had done what he had done … and why he had spoken against Soujirou in the way that he had. He understood that the boy didn't want Misao to take part in the tournament, because of her leg, which was natural – he was probably very concerned about her. Then why had he started saying that if Misao wanted to take part in it, they shouldn't do anything to stop her?

Had he taken part in that 'argument' just because he really _did_ believe that they shouldn't stop Misao from doing what she wanted to do, or had he done it just because he had wanted to start something with Soujirou, to actually get into an argument with the boy?

Turning his head to his left, he frowned slightly as he made out a figure standing a little away from him, in the – his eyes widened slightly. It was Misao. From what he could see of her face, with the help of the street-lights, she had a rather thoughtful, saddened expression on her face. He wondered why that uncharacteristic expression was on her face. _Did something happen to her? _

He heard her sigh and continued to stare at her, as she lifted her head to stare at the stars. Again, he didn't know why, but he couldn't turn away … although he knew that he _should_ turn away, in-case Misao turned around and _spared_ a glance at the Kamiya Residence, to see an idiot gaping at her. _Whoa … did I just call myself an idiot? What's wrong with me? I need to get myself sorted out … soon._

His body working on its own accord, he started to move, meaning to jump over the fence and see whether Misao needed something – _'Needed something'? Like what? Heh …although I can think of a few things you wouldn't mind giving her …_ His face turned dark as he growled at the inner-voice that had spoken. One day, he was going to _shut_ his inner-voices up, for _good_, _without_ harming himself in the process.

He stopped abruptly, when he saw another figure approaching Misao, from the road. He watched with slightly narrowed eyes, unable to make out who the person was, until he stopped in front of Misao. His face darkened a bit more, although a part of him told him that he was just being stupid.

_Soujirou …_

* * *

"Misao?" Misao looked up, startled, as she heard the familiar name calling her voice. Standing in front of her, on the other side of the gate, with a small smile on his face, was someone she had wanted to see for quite some time now. She stepped away from the gate, and closed it as he walked inside.

"Mou … _where_ have you been!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "I missed you, you know!"

"Gomen … I was just rather busy …" said Soujirou, scratching his head. "Er – Misao – I – can't – breathe – " Misao let go of him at once.

"Ooops … sorry," she said, sheepishly. "But really! I'm angry with you. With all of you for that matter."

"What? But why?" asked Soujirou.

"Because _none_ of you came to see me for some time! I haven't seen Yahiko in _ages_! Or Sano, or Kenshin or Megumi!" said Misao, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Gomen …" said Soujirou, once more. "But they said that they will try and come tomorrow. They were going to come and see you and Kaoru today, but they were really tired after today's practice. It went on for longer than usual." He smiled. "It's great to see you up and about though …"

"I know, it feels great too!" said Misao, cheerfully. "And it helps take the loneliness away …"

"I _said_ I'm sorry, Misao," said Soujirou, sighing. "I _really_ am …" He paused. "But … surely you weren't lonely yesterday? When Aoshi came to visit you?" Misao glanced sharply at him, wondering why she had done that. Soujirou was her best-friend. Why would it be surprising for him to talk about Aoshi?

"No … I wasn't lonely yesterday," she admitted, softly. "It was way better than how I've been spending my time all alone. But still, I expected my _old_ friends to come and see me. I mean, I _really_ appreciate what Aoshi did … especially since he didn't need to do that, since he's not one of my _close_ friends …"

"Misao … _please_," said Soujirou, guiltily. "I _said_ I was sorry …" Misao stuck her nose up in the air, making Soujirou sigh. "Okay, okay … what can I do to make it up to you?" Misao turned to look at him.

" … Spend the night with us …?" she asked, hopefully. Soujirou smiled, as he held up a small, black bag.

"That's what I came here to do …" he said. "Makimachi-san's offer seemed too good to resist." _And I was feeling a little miserable, staying at home all alone … but you don't need to know that. _

"REALLY! That's GREAT!" exclaimed Misao, grabbing Soujirou by the arm and dragging him inside. "Let's go!"

"Hai, hai, Misao …" said Soujirou, smiling.

* * *

Aoshi stared at the two people, a different, annoying emotion whirling around inside him. He watched as Misao jumped back, allowing Soujirou to enter, and as she threw her arms around the boy, hugging him and saying that she had missed him. He watched and heard as Misao made him feel guilty for not coming to see her, saying that 'Aoshi' hadn't _needed_ to stay with her … as he was not a _close_ friend of hers, compared to the rest.

Somehow or the other … hearing her say that, hit him. He didn't know how or why, but it hit him. He wasn't a close-friend … at least he wasn't as close as _Soujirou_ was to her. The fact ricocheted inside his head, causing him to growl under his breath. It was true, wasn't it? Misao _didn't_ know him as well as she knew … Soujirou … and Soujirou was her best-friend, so he _had_ to be closer to her than he was …

The crowning moment, was when he heard Misao asking Soujirou to '_spend the night with us.'_ He knew that the two were close friends, and he knew that Soujirou was an orphan, and that there was nothing wrong with him spending the night at Misao's place. Then … _why_ was he feeling so _strange_? Why was he feeling as though he was going to be in a rather bad mood for a while? Frowning, he turned around and walked back towards the house, not really wanting to stay in the 'fresh air' anymore. Why was he feeling this way? _What_ was this feeling in the first place?

_You want to know what the 'feeling' is? Well pal, it's called 'JEALOUSY.'_ He shook his head as his inner-voice lectured him. Jealousy? No way …

* * *

**A/N**

Aaargh … my hands are KILLING me! I think I might make the next chapter a bit shorter … or else my hands are going to go on strike. Heh heh … well … I didn't include _too_ much of Aoshi and Misao moments, because, before anything else happens … I want Mr. Kamiya to – er, never mind. You'll find out soon. Heh, imagine, poor Soujirou not knowing why Aoshi's going to _really_ dislike him from now onwards!

Heh, I hope this was okay!

See ya soon!

Siriusgirl1


	18. Discovery

**A/N**

I'm baaaacccckkkk! With, of course, a dozen apologies for not updating sooner. I apologize profusely for the delay (again)…but I had a few…problems. But, on a more positive note, I've sorted them out, and I'm ready to continue with this fic and I WILL finish it this year. That, I promise. One of the problems that I had was (_looks ashamed) _I sort of lost touch with the whole universe of _Rurouni Kenshin._ I don't know _how_ that happened…but it did. However, I am pleased to say that two days of randomly wondering about Hiko Seijiro and what it would have been like if he was more _involved_ with the events taking place in Japan…and about what would happen if Hiko and Soujirou had _ever_ had to battle each other in the anime…got me back into the wonderful universe of RK. (Grins sheepishly) I'm sorry if that sounded weird, but…it's true.

I warn you though, this chapter is quite long. Fine, not _quite_, but _very_ long. I apologize for that as well…but I really couldn't stop! Heh, but I hope it was interesting, despite its length.

Before I proceed further;

**Black Metalmark: **Heh, if Aoshi's jealousy is allowed to do whatever it likes, freely, I don't think dear, adorable Soujirou will be alive when Misao next inquires about him! I have to agree that Sano should run…as fast as he can (heh, he _is_ an athlete too!). Saito doesn't do much to _Sano_ in this chapter…'coz that's coming _later._ I completely agree with your point about Mrs. Kamiya…I mean, leaving aside the fact that they're related (which Aoshi and Kaoru don't know) doesn't Mrs. Kamiya realize that Kaoru's madly in love with _Kenshin?_ Heh, but don't worry…things get better. But not for poor Mrs. Kamiya – oops! I shouldn't have said that! Well, thanks loads for the review, and I hope you like this chapter too!

**RKfaN930: **I guess…I didn't find too much time to update, did I? (Sweat-drop) I know…these extra school days are annoying aren't they? I mean, it's not like we don't have anything better to do! Well…education _is_ important too…but, you know what I mean! Heheh, thanks a lot for the review…and I'm hoping that this chapter's as good as the last one too! Although it might be too long…

**Kitsune KeNsHiN: **I'm actually proud to say that my exams _did_ go well; much better than I expected (I mean, I even surprised my entire family…which somehow makes me wonder about their 'faith' in me!). Yep, we have exams two weeks before school ends, 'coz we do the GCE exams and, well, they have it somewhere around May/June/July, and our school ends towards the end of June or the beginning of July. I did have some part of the summer holidays though, so that was good. Heh, I know it's probably a bit too late to ask this now, but how did looking for colleges go? I'm doing OK these days (apart from the fact that we've gotten a sudden change in the climate here and I've had this horrid cold and cough for about two weeks)…but more importantly, I've got back my determination to finish this fic! Heh, I've actually not thought _too_ much about what Saito will be doing to Sano in return for his, er, 'favour' but we all know that whatever it is, it will be bad. Poor Sano – I think he's a bit too young to die though…so nothing _too_ bad will probably happen to him. Or maybe it should…and then we'll get to see Hiko losing his temper… Yep, these people really should listen to Kenshin more, shouldn't they? When will they learn? Heh, there's more insight into Kenshin's past here, so I hope you like it – and there _is_ more of Aoshi and Misao, although separately. Thanks for the review – and enjoy chapter seventeen!

**Oniwabanshu: **You'll feel like doing more than holding up a fist at the Toriyama athletes if you knew what I've had planned for the next couple of chapters! (just to warn you beforehand, so you can get prepared to beat 'em up!) Heh, glad you liked the previous chapter! (sigh) I know…you're completely right about what you said about updating. But, hopefully I'll be able to put up a new chapter something like every week-end or something since I'll probably have a bit too much of work during the weekdays, what with school-work and paranoid teachers. _But_, the good news is that I'm getting Christmas holidays on the 13th of December, so I'll have enough time then…for around three weeks, to update frequently (providing that my paranoid teachers don't get _too_ paranoid to the extent that they plan extra classes during the hols…) Heh, Sano would not like to know that you're looking forward to his punishment. But then, what Sano _doesn't_ know won't hurt him, will it? Heh, uh – gulps – do you think that, perhaps…you could…put those Kodachi away? I mean…pointy objects like those are rather dangerous for you…and for me too! Heh, thanks for the review! And hopefully you'll at least _lower_ the Kodachi while reading this chapter?

**Otokonotenken: **Heh, thanks! It's interesting that you said I did the transitions well, 'coz before typing this chapter, I was starting to worry about the transitions...and I was thinking that perhaps I should do something to change the way I did them...but I think I'll keep them as they are then! Heh, it's not annoying telling me to update - it's actually something that helps me get it done! (along with a couple of threats!) I hope you like this chapter too! And thanks once again for the review.

**Sexybod: **Wow! It's _that_ good! (feels all warm and fuzzy inside) thanks! Heh, 'twisted sense of humour' eh? Oohh...it seems like I'm going to do nothing here but thank you, but...really, _thank you!_ I'm glad that the story seems to be going well so far...and that it's kept captured your attention this far...hopefully, it'll continue to do so! Thanks (_again!) _and I hope you like this chapter!

**Lucifer's Lair: **Heheh, thanks! I hope i've met your expectations with this chapter too! (Hopefully) Thanks once again, and enjoy chapter seventeen!

Well...without further delay: Chapter Seventeen! Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: Discovery**

Mrs. Kamiya was seated on her bed, having finished whatever needed to be done around the house. In all honesty, she didn't know how she managed to complete the usual daily household chores, as her mind had been completely preoccupied. She fiddled with the pillow that was on her lap, an uncharacteristic frown on her usually pleasant face. She hadn't even been able to sleep last night…due to what she had witnessed…

"Aoshi and Kaoru…" she mumbled to herself, shaking her head almost immediately. What she had seen was wrong. It was all wrong. _How_ could this be happening? Had Kazuko been correct? She hadn't believed it before, but what she had seen…the two of them embracing in the corridor – how was she supposed to _still_ believe that Kazuko was wrong after seeing _that?_

'_If there _is _something going on between them, it's your fault Kaeri…'_ she thought mentally, her heart sinking as she realized the truth in that thought. It _was_ her fault; she should have told Aoshi who he was right from the start, instead of keeping everything hidden. If she had done that then Aoshi would know not to…to – '_But if I had told Aoshi, then I would have had to tell Hisashi and Kaoru too…and that would have led to a complete disaster…'_ she thought, knowing that that had been her main reason for lying to everyone.

She blanched as she realized that, despite her reasons for it, she had been lying to her family. Being someone with a number of strong morals, she couldn't believe that she had gone against one of the morals that she held dear to her; being honest with her family. She hadn't been able to do that when _she_ had been a kid, as she had had too many problems with her father…but after getting married, she had resolved to be honest with her family. She couldn't believe that she just…ignored that decision and…_lied._

"…What am I going to _do?_" she asked aloud, although deep down inside her, she _knew_ what needed to be done. She had known all along about what she needed to do…but she had never really gotten around to doing it – and as a result of this, she might very well be the cause of something completely wrong taking place. If anyone had seen her then, they would have wondered at the stricken expression on her face; the stricken expression that gave the impression that she was about to risk losing everything she held dear to her.

'_Oh god…I don't want to do this. I can't – how can I -?' _she bit her lip hard, '…_Oh Yuuji, what am I going to do?'_ As she stared hard ahead of her, at nothing in particular, she knew in her heart what she had to do. But she was just too scared to do it…

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

"Misao, you _do_ remember what the Doctor said, don't you?" asked Mrs. Makimachi, eyeing her jubilant daughter warily as she stood, blocking the entrance to Misao's room-door so that the girl couldn't leave just yet.

"_Hai_, Kachan," said Misao, sighing heavily, "I am not supposed to exert myself _too_ much, but I _can_ do more than what I _used_ to do when I still had the cast on." Mrs. Makimachi still didn't look satisfied.

"You _do_ realize that you still need to be careful don't you? Regardless of the fact that the cast is gone?" she asked, "…And your ankle can't bear too much weight on it yet, and then your knee shouldn't be strained too much unless you want to – "

" – _Kachan_, it's OK, I understood what the doctor said," interrupted Misao, doing her best to sound reassuring, "Relieved though I am that the cast is off, and _yes_, I will admit that I had a few reckless ideas, I _don't_ want to ruin my chances for taking part in the tournament. I _can_ be responsible sometimes you know…" she added, pouting at her mother. "I _do_ have only six days left…"

"I'm sorry, it's not that I don't think you're responsible," sighed Mrs. Makimachi, "it's just that…I don't want you doing anything that will affect your future." Misao fought to control her impatience.

"_Kachan_, I _won't_, OK?" she asked, as soothingly as she could, "so can I _please_ get out of my room and walk around now?" Mrs. Makimachi sighed heavily, before nodding.

"Alright then, I guess that there's nothing more than I can do here," she said, before moving away from the door, "but – "

" – don't worry, I'll be careful," said Misao hurriedly, flashing her mother a grin before walking towards the door slowly, as she somehow felt a bit awkward without the presence of the cast on her knee. The moment she started walking she could tell that her knee wasn't used to the absence of the cast either, but she didn't worry too much about that; it was only natural and it would take a while for her knee to get used to be _without_ the cast.

A look of determination on her face, she walked out of her room and headed down the stairs, promising herself that she _would_ stop at least for a second, if she thought that her knee was undergoing too much strain. Mrs. Makimachi watched her go, a small smile forming on her face despite her worry. It was good to know that the cast was off her daughter's knee – she could tell how much it had started to annoy the girl. Taking a deep breath, she turned and headed towards her room.

* * *

**Mitsurugi High-School:**

Hiko Seijiro ran his hands through his black hair, sighing inwardly. He couldn't believe the mess that his team was in. Yes, it _was_ his team, regardless of the fact that a certain arrogant 3rd year considered it _his_ team just because he was still the captain. What the coach of the athletics team couldn't understand was how everything had managed to go wrong in such a short space of time. Firstly, the school had chosen a _new_ student as the captain of the team – without even consulting him until they had already told the student about it by which time it was way too late to do anything. He hadn't made too much of a fuss about it, as, having glanced at the chosen captain's record…he admitted that it was impressive. _Hnn, impressive his record might be…but his personality…_

Secondly, he had been called away with the death of his cousin and _that_ had not only landed him with the trouble of looking after two little girls who were now orphans, but it had also caused one of the biggest blows to his team; Makimachi getting injured. And it wasn't a big surprise that the 'oh-so-great' captain had had something to do with it. Makimachi's injury had subsequently caused a lot of hatred to build up in the team – hatred against the captain…and it didn't help when the captain got Sagara and Myoujin landed in double-detentions for the simple reason of not coming for practice when in fact it had been the _captain_ who had told them not to turn up. _That damned kid…_

Thirdly, he had come back to find out that the applications for the tournament had been messed up – and he shouldn't have been too surprised, given the negative energy that always made itself apparent when the Captain and vice-captain of the team were together. And if that wasn't bad enough, he had discovered a bit late that the long-jump and high-jump events had been _cancelled_ completely…which resulted in a major change in the points system. Unfortunately for him and his team, a greater number of points was now allocated to the hurdles, which meant that that was one event that they _had_ to do well in. He wasn't too worried about the boys' hurdles competitions…but the girls', well, that was a completely different story.

And fourthly, there were only six more days for the blooming tournament, and he wasn't sure whether he should call for extra practices or not…and he had discovered that if Makimachi didn't recover well enough, they'd lose all of the Under 17 girls' events, which would put them all at a great disadvantage. It wasn't Makimachi's fault, and he knew that…but it didn't stop himself from getting annoyed…

Fifthly – and this was the _worst_ in his opinion – he _hadn't_ known that that _stupid,_ idiotic, rather naïve kid was coming back to school. If he _had_ known that, that is to say if that baka-deshi had _contacted_ him and told him that, he could have arranged for _him_ to be named the Captain and the other new-kid to be named as the vice-captain. But _no_, Himura Kenshin just _had_ to show up suddenly and surprise everyone…after the decision had already been made. _If that baka-deshi had been captain, none of this would have happened. Makimachi wouldn't be injured, the team's morale wouldn't be down and I wouldn't be getting more grey hairs…_

"Dammit…" he muttered, to no-one in particular, "I need a drink…"

"What was that, Hiko-san?" asked Nakamura-sensei, the head of the Sports Department. Hiko Seijiro shot the man a glare. It was also partly his fault that this was happening; he hadn't allowed him to change captains.

"Nothing," he mumbled.

"I _do_ hope that your athletics team is training for the Inter-School tournament…" said Nakamura-sensei, "It _would_ be nice to win and defeat Toriyama once and for all…"

"Tell me about it," said Hiko, shaking his head, "but I'm telling you, like I told you before, that if we lose, you'll have to blame the _Captain_ that was chosen for this team…"

"Come now Hiko-san, we didn't know about the kid's personality – in fact, I still don't know whether he's as cruel and annoying as you say he is – "

" – _Oh? _So I'm lying now, am _I?_" interrupted Hiko, his blue eyes blazing. Nakamura-sensei shook his head hurriedly, not really wanting to make an enemy out of the big-made Athletics coach.

"No…all I'm saying is that, well, it's common knowledge that…you have a special liking for Himura Kenshin," he said, "And…that maybe you would be willing to do whatever it takes to make _him_ the captain…"

"Are you saying what I _think_ you're saying, Nakamura?" growled Hiko Seijiro, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Now now, Hiko-san, there's no need to – "

" – I do _not_ favour Himura Kenshin, and you of all people should know that. I merely treat him with the respect, and the occasional whacks on the head that he deserves," he said, interrupting the other man, "All I want is for _my_ team is for it to have a captain who everyone else will _listen_ to…and I can assure you that everyone loves Kenshin, which was why I thought he'd be the best to take Saito's place." He stopped. "Even the _principal_ of the school has a certain soft-spot for him, and you say that _I_ favour him?"

"Uh…well, no, what I meant was – " Nakamura-sensei stopped, wondering why he was sweating, "Uh, never-mind. I…have to be going now. I'll…see you later, Hiko-san…" He turned around and disappeared in a flash, leaving Hiko not knowing whether to be amused at the man's apparent fear of him, or whether to feel frustrated at the thought that the man thought that _he_ favored _Kenshin_. True, he may know Kenshin rather well…but that didn't mean that he _favored _the stupid red-head with the cross-shaped scar.

It was then that he realized that he hadn't had a single _decent_ conversation with that baka-deshi of his. Yes, he had seen him during athletics practices and had managed to talk to him – but that was about things concerning the _team_…and not concerning the red-head's welfare. He frowned. _Should I speak to him…and perhaps ask him exactly what's happened to him?_ He hadn't been surprised when everyone, that is to say Sagara, Makimachi, Seta, Myoujin and the rest of the team, greeted Kenshin cheerfully…and when they hadn't noticed that _something_ was wrong with the red-head.

But he had noticed. It wasn't easy to spot – or else the others would have spotted the change too – but it was there. It was there in the kid's eyes…in his posture…and, more importantly, in his life-force. His life-force indicated to him that the 18 year old was carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders, and he knew that it couldn't be a _normal_ burden, or _someone_ would have eventually been told about it. Whatever the burden was, it was weighing down heavily on him…and yet, the baka _still_ carried on as though everything was fine.

"I really _should_ talk to him sometime…" he said aloud, rubbing his chin, "Perhaps after the tournament…when everything will certainly have calmed down a little…" He nodded, "And maybe _then_ I can ask him about that peculiar scar on his face…"

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

"Kaoru…are you feeling better now?" asked Kenshin, as he and Aoshi made their way to their usual table and as he caught sight of Kaoru, seated next to Megumi. Kaoru nodded, smiling brightly at Kenshin and hoping that she wasn't blushing _too_ much.

"Yep!" she said, cheerfully, "much better, thanks!" Smiling warmly, Kenshin sat down next to her, not seeing the amused glances that Megumi, Sano and Yahiko shared as they watched their two friends interact with each other.

"Aargh, can you believe that we only have another six days left for the tournament?" asked Yahiko, looking around the table with an indescribable expression on his face. Kaoru and Megumi exchanged glances and sighed as one as they sensed which direction this break-time conversation was going in.

"Nope, I can't," said Sano, shaking his head, "And, to be quite honest, I'm doubting whether we'll have a chance this year or not."

"Oro?" spluttered Kenshin, sending Sano a somewhat reproving glance. "Sano, that's not a positive thing to say…"

"Yeah, but what exactly about our team _is_ positive? Misao's not taking part, we're going to lose – and even more so since there's more points allocated for the hurdles…and to top it all off, out _team spirit_ seems to have expired…" said Sano. Yahiko nodded in agreement.

"Exactly," he said, "And I _still_ find it hard to believe that we're still stuck with Saito as out captain…"

"Ano, but don't you think – "

" – So…are you saying that you're doing this – " Aoshi stopped, staring at Soujirou who had started speaking at the same time as him. Soujirou shot him a sheepish smile.

"Ahaha, gomen, Aoshi-san," said Soujirou, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, "You were saying?" _Ara…did I say something wrong? Is that why he's glaring at me?_

"…I was going to ask you whether you were taking part in this tournament for your _school_…or for something else," said Aoshi, turning his attention back to the others after sending Soujirou a nasty glare.

"Of course we're doing it for the school, baka!" said Sano, not affected at all by the glare that his senior sent him for calling him a 'baka.'

"Oro, Sano, I think that Aoshi meant was that we shouldn't worry too much about Saito," said Kenshin, shooting Aoshi a grateful smile, "Because we're doing this for _our_ school, not for our _captain_."

"…And don't you think that Saito would be satisfied if we lost? I mean, it won't matter much to _him_, since he's going away this year…but we'll have to bear with the fact that we lost to Toriyama _again_," said Soujirou, smiling.

"While we're on the topic of athletics, is anyone going to see Misao today?" asked Megumi, as the boys suddenly became pensively quiet. Kaoru nodded.

"I'll be going to see her," she said, "I went to see her yesterday too…and she seemed OK…" She grinned evilly at Aoshi, before turning to Soujirou, "Soujirou, did you go and see her recently?" Soujirou nodded, smiling.

"Hai, I stayed the night at her place yesterday," he said, confused as he saw his friends – Kenshin and Aoshi excluded – flashed knowing grins at each other. "Eeto…did I say something wrong?"

"No, no, of course not," said Yahiko, trying not to laugh, "Uh, what did you do over there?" Soujirou shrugged casually.

"We were just talking…about stuff…and Misao was really excited about taking her cast off," he said, his eyes brightening as he remembered the expression his best-friend had had on her face as she told him the 'good' news.

"So…she _is_ going to take part in the tournament then?" asked Megumi, quietly. Soujirou nodded, sighing inwardly.

"Hai…nothing I said could change her mind…" he said, "but she _did_ promise me that she'd stop if she felt, for the briefest of moments, that something could further happen to her injuries…" Kaoru looked skeptically at him.

"And you _really_ think that she'll stick to that promise? Instead of being stubborn and continuing with training?" she asked. Soujirou stared at Kaoru through slightly wide eyes, before he shook his head, smiling.

"Whatever else she might due as a result of her stubbornness, I know that Misao will _never_ break a promise," he said, "And I firmly believe that she'll stick to what she promised me."

"If you have _so_ much faith in her…then I guess there has to be _some_ truth to it…" said Kaoru, sighing, "Although I'm just worried in case she damages herself _further."_ She shook her head, "but then again, if she _really_ wants to do this…then I guess we should let her…" Aoshi exchanged a cold glance with Soujirou, who smiled at him although he was getting more confused by the moment.

"Heh, yeah, Sou and Aoshi over here were worried about the same things," said Sano, grinning.

"Eh?"

"Oh yeah, you weren't _here_ were you, Kaoru?" asked Yahiko, catching on to what Sano was trying to do, "Well, to make a long story short, Soujirou over here and Aoshi…well, over _there_, had an argument about Misao."

"_Ehhh?"_ Megumi smiled at the astonished expression on Kaoru's face.

"Soujirou was saying that we shouldn't let Misao take part in the tournament, in case further injuries affect her in the future," said Sano, "And Aoshi was saying that if Misao really wanted to take part, then we should all just shut up and let her." Soujirou actually frowned for a brief second when he saw the cold look that Aoshi sent him before turning his attention to his untouched food.

"Iie, Kaoru…it wasn't an argument," he said, smiling almost immediately, "it was just…a discussion. Right Aoshi-san?"

"…Yeah," muttered Aoshi, not even bothering to look up at Soujirou. Kenshin, seeing the wide grin on Kaoru's face gulped. Something told him that it couldn't be good for _someone_ if Kaoru was looking _this_ happy.

"Ohh, Aoshi-san, that reminds me, did I tell you how _worried_ Okasan was when you returned late, the other day?" asked Kaoru, a somewhat evil glint appearing in her blue-eyes as she stared at Aoshi who suddenly had a feeling that he wasn't going to like this. "Remember, when you went to Misao-chan's place to give her those books that I couldn't give her?" The glint in Kaoru's eyes gleamed brighter, causing Aoshi to gulp involuntarily, "I mean, you _did_ come back two hours later…so, quite _naturally_ she was worried…"

"Oro…" Kenshin looked completely clueless as to why his friends, except for Soujirou, were staring at Aoshi with different levels of amazement clear on their faces. He blinked. _Oro…I'm sure that I told them about Aoshi visiting Misao…_ "…Didn't I tell you guys that Aoshi _did_ go to see Misao the other day? I'm sure that I told you…"

"Yeah, you did," said Megumi, snapping out of her amazed stupor, "but you never told us that he stayed at her place for _two hours._"

"Ororo…was I _supposed _to tell you that?" asked Kenshin, looking lost. Sano shot him an exasperated look.

"_Yes_, given what…we've found out…" he said, not wanting to blurt out _everything_ in front of Aoshi; at least, not just yet.

"What were you doing at her place for two hours, Aoshi?" asked Yahiko, trying to keep from grinning, "I mean…_surely_ you can't have just been sitting in silence, staring at each other…?" _Everyone_ grinned as they caught sight of the pale red that flashed across Aoshi's face before it disappeared.

"No…we weren't doing that…" he said, keeping his voice controlled. Sano grinned.

"Then what on _earth_ were you doing?" he asked, "I mean…I can think of quite a few things that a guy and a girl _could_ do when they get together…" He couldn't help but shiver at the iciness of the glare that Aoshi was sending him, "…Or maybe you just sat and talked…?" he asked, hurriedly.

"…_Yes_, we just _talked_," growled Aoshi, his hand practically crushing the mineral-water bottle that he was holding.

"Really? Are you _sure?_" teased Megumi, not affected the _slightest _bit by the glare Aoshi sent her way, after which Aoshi quickly transferred the glare on to Kaoru, who just beamed cheerfully at him.

"Ano…Aoshi-san _is_ telling the truth guys," said Soujirou, smiling. _Why are they giving Aoshi-san such a hard time? Is that why he doesn't seem to like me much? Because everyone's giving him a hard time and so he thinks that I'm the same?_ "Why don't we just believe him?"

"Soujirou's right," said Kenshin, smiling at the younger boy, "We should believe Aoshi; I mean, what else would he and Misao be doing if they weren't talking?" He saw the skeptical glances that Megumi, Sano, Yahiko and Kaoru sent his way and sweat-dropped, "Oro…" _What_ _is going on here? This one doesn't understand…_

"Soujirou's _right_, is he?" asked Sano, raising his eyebrows at the brown-haired athlete, "How would _Soujirou_ know what happened? It's not like he was _there_…"

"Yeah, how do _you_ know?" asked Yahiko.

"Well…Misao told me about it when I was there yesterday…" said Soujirou, smiling as usual, "She said that Aoshi-san didn't _need_ to come and see her…because he wasn't a close friend or something, and that we, being her friends didn't even come to see her…" He smiled brightly at Aoshi. "She was really grateful towards you for going to visit her, Aoshi-san…"

Aoshi knew that Soujirou hadn't meant it that way. He knew that Soujirou was merely repeating what Misao herself had told him last night, when Soujirou came over to her place, and he, being outside in the gardens of the Kamiya-Residence, had heard it. And yet, he couldn't help but bristle angrily when the words came out of the brown-haired boy's mouth. '_You really don't like people pointing out the obvious, do you?'_ asked one of his inner-voices, sounding smug, '_I mean…you _aren't _a close friend of the girl's anyway…Soujirou's merely telling the truth…'_

"Aoshi-san?" asked Kaoru, worried that he was glaring at Soujirou without saying anything.

"…Hnn?"

"Are you OK? You were just…staring at Soujirou," said Megumi, trying not to smile. Aoshi turned his ice-blue eyes on her, shaking his head.

"…No, I just – " He stopped when he heard Kaoru's giggle, and his attention therefore turned back to her – and he remembered that _she_ was the one who started everything in the first place. This time, it was _Kaoru's_ turn to gulp when she saw the gleam in _Aoshi's_ ice-blue eyes. "…And I heard from Kamiya-san that _you_ didn't have too much of a bad time when _Kenshin_ came to see you the other day too…" he said, surprised with himself, as this wasn't something that he usually did.

It was everyone's turn to stare at _Kaoru_ this time, causing her to blush deeply. "W-What!" she asked, defensively, not daring to look at Kenshin, embarrassed.

"Oh you sly…dog…" said Sano, a wide grin appearing on _his_ face, "You never even _told_ us…" Kenshin flushed.

"I – well, you didn't seem interested…" he said, not daring to look at Kaoru. Watching the two of them seated next to each other, their faces red, Megumi smiled. They sure _did_ make a cute couple. If only they'd realize their own feelings for each other now…"

"So _that's_ why you were in such a good mood today, grinning to yourself and stuff," said Yahiko, smiling, "You were on a high after Kenshin visited you!"

"_Yahiko_," warned Kaoru, looking up with her face red to glare at him. "Besides, Kenshin only came because _Aoshi-san_ told him that I was sick and because _he_ said that it would help me feel better…" she shot Aoshi a grateful look, which Aoshi didn't know how to respond to.

"Ano…" Everyone turned to look at Soujirou, "…What _exactly_ is going on? I'm afraid…I do not understand…" Yahiko and Sano groaned aloud, whereas Megumi just shook her head. Honestly, the boy was just _too_ cute.

"Kenshin went to see Kaoru when she was ill, Soujirou," she said, sending him a warm smile, "And that made the both of them happy…you know why, right?"

"…Eeto…because…they like each other?" asked Soujirou, uncertainly. Megumi nodded.

"Yes," she said, "and that's why the two of them a blushing so hard."

"I am _not_ blushing!" snapped Kaoru, "Stop making things up about Kenshin and me! Honestly, do you _really_ think that – " A cough from beside them cut Kaoru off, and she turned to see who it was.

"Sensei!" exclaimed Sano, seeing Hiko Seijiro standing there, the usual smug expression on his face, "What brings _you_ here?"

"Not you, Sagara," said Hiko, smirking at the expression on Sano's face. He turned, instead, to Kenshin. "I need to talk to you Kenshin…" Kenshin nodded, wondering what was going on. All that he knew was that it had to be something _important_, or Hiko Seijiro would never bring himself into the noisy, over-crowded _cafeteria_.

"Hai," he said, partly relieved to leave his friends and thus their _teasing_. "I'll see you all at athletics practice then…" Smiling at them all, he turned to follow Hiko Seijiro outside. Sano and Yahiko frowned as they stared after the two of them.

"I wonder what that was all about…" muttered Sano, thoughtfully.

"Does it really matter?" asked Megumi, "I mean we _all_ know that Ken-san will never get into _trouble_…" Kaoru nodded, agreeing with her friend.

"Yeah, but now we'll have to tease him another day…" said Yahiko, sighing heavily. "About this ugly beast over here…" Soujirou sweat-dropped and held Kaoru back from strangling Yahiko, which ended up with _him_ getting pretty beat up.

"Sou-chan! Why did you do _that!_ Gomen!" exclaimed Kaoru, "Yahiko, I'll get you for that one day…I _swear_ I will." Yahiko shrugged.

"I don't mind…but I wasn't the one who started it," he said, "Aoshi started it all, didn't he?" Aoshi met Kaoru's gaze and knew immediately that he was going to regret his earlier actions.

"Oh, don't worry about _him_," said Kaoru, looking even more evil than before, "I'll take care of _that_." Yahiko sighed as he glanced at his wrist-watch.

"Aargh, I've got to go and meet Ito-sensei now," he said, standing up, "I'll see you later…"

"…And I need to use the bathroom…" said Soujirou, standing up as well.

"I'll come with you," said Kaoru, before letting out a loud yelp as she realized what she said. "I – I didn't say that…_did_ I?"

"Whoa, what aren't you telling us?" asked Sano, grinning at Kaoru's flushed face.

"Eeto…"

"What I _meant_ was that after Sou-chan finishes with the bathroom, he'll be returning to class…and I'll go with him when he does," said Kaoru, embarrassed.

"Hai, hai," said Megumi, standing up as well, "Just don't let me find out that you're cheating on Ken-san." Kaoru glared at her.

"Kitsune, where're you going?" asked Sano, surprised. Megumi whacked him lightly on the head.

"We're making those silly presentations for Geography, remember? And since, unfortunately I might add, you and I have been paired up, we need to go and make sure everything ready for it…" she said, "Come on, Sano…"

"Do I _have_ to?" asked Sano, "Can't you go and set everything up on your own?" He growled as Megumi tweaked his ear.

"Get your ass off that bench and come with me, _now_," she said, in a rather commanding tone. Sighing to no-one in particular, Sano stood up and followed her.

"I'll see you later then, Aoshi-san," said Kaoru, grabbing her bag without noticing something slip out of it, and smiling at Aoshi before walking away with Soujirou, who was puzzled when he smiled at Aoshi and yet again received a cold glare. Aoshi let out a long sigh when he was finally left alone; he couldn't help it. As…_interesting_ as these people were, he really liked it when things were peaceful and quiet…and unfortunately, as he had realized on his first day back, those words could not, in _any_ way, be associated with the people he had shared this table with.

"…Why so quiet? Don't you enjoy hanging around with your pesky friends?" Aoshi sighed inwardly. A meeting with _him_ was the last thing that he needed.

"What do you want?" he asked, without looking up as his amber-eyed cousin sat down opposite him.

"Now is that any way to greet your favourite cousin?" asked Saito, raising his eyebrows.

"…My _only_ cousin, you mean," muttered Aoshi, staring at his tray of still untouched food. Saito simply smirked, adjusting so that he was more comfortable with his position on the bench.

"Indeed, I – " Saito broke off and pulled something out from under him. It was a small, pink coloured note-book with a white flower in the middle of it. " – Anyway, I see that you don't have much of an appetite…" he continued, flipping open the note-book in curiosity.

"…So?"

"That tells me that you're getting fed well at your _dear_ mu – " Aoshi looked up sharply, his face expressionless although his eyes showed that he was begging for answer. He had been kept in suspense for too long that he was actually willing to _plead_ with Saito for an answer. His desperation disappeared for a second however, when he saw the look on Saito's face. It was a look of amusement…mingled with surprise…and a certain bit of evil too.

"Stop speaking in _riddles, _and just tell me whatever you want to say," said Aoshi, not bothering about the strange expression on his cousin's face.

"…Hey," said Saito, slowly.

"…What?"

"…Since when has my _dear_ cousin developed feelings for a young-woman?" If Aoshi had been eating or drinking anything, he would have choked and probably, if he was like Sano or Yahiko, would have spat out whatever he had in his mouth.

"…_What...?_" he asked, not sure whether he heard Saito right. It was then that he saw the small notebook in Saito's hand – the notebook that Saito had been looking through for a while.

"It says here under a list titled '_Kaoru's list of things to do – and to do immediately'_ that thing to-do no.2 is; '_do SOMETHING and get Aoshi-san and Misao-chan together. Resort to dire means if necessary, but don't let Aoshi-san get suspicious,'_" Saito looked up at him, the amusement clearly visible in his eyes. If Aoshi ever wished that he could _die_, it was then. Of _all_ the people to have read this…it _had_ to be…_him_.

"I – what – " he stopped, aware that he was stammering and that he never stammered, "…can I see that?" Saito shook his head.

"No," he said, smirking, "But tell me, when it says 'Misao-chan' here…is it…_Makimachi_ that this girl is referring to?" His smirk widened as Aoshi flushed, "…As in, the same itachi that I know of?" Aoshi mentally cursed Kaoru.

"…I – "

" – Oh look…guess what no. 1 is; '_get Misao-chan to admit her feelings for Aoshi-san'_…" interrupted Saito, looking as though this was perhaps the _best_ news that he had heard in his entire life. Aoshi sent the best possible glare that he could muster in his cousin's direction.

"_Saito_, leave the stupid notebook aside and – "

"And here's _another_ surprise…" interrupted Saito, "No.1 has been crossed out with a single line, with a scribbled note next to it…saying – " Saito chuckled, " – '_Complete; Misao-chan admitted that she likes him.'_" Aoshi stared wide-eyed at Saito for a minute, before bowing his head as the full meaning of what his cousin had read out hit him, his cheeks growing warm. Looking across at his cousin, Saito smirked. He had never seen his cousin _this_ flustered…even when he was a kid. It was as though he was experiencing a _different_, more human side to his 'little' cousin. And since it was something that he could tease him about, he liked it.

"A…A…Aoshi-san…" Saito _and_ Aoshi looked up as Kaoru stood by the table, breathing heavily as though she had run all the way there. Aoshi, forgetting the embarrassment he had and will continually have to go through because of her, frowned.

"Kaoru-san…" he said, "I thought…you were going back to class…" Kaoru nodded, regaining her breath.

"Aa, I did, but then I realized that I had dropped something here and I was looking for it," she said, looking towards the side of the bench where she had been seated earlier and only catching sight of Saito then. "S – Saito-san…" she said, "Uh, I'm sorry if I'm interrupt – my notebook!"

"…It's yours?" asked Saito, seeing the girl's eyes widen as she saw that her notebook was _open_…and that he was reading it. "It's quite an interesting notebook, I must say," he glanced at Aoshi, "don't you think so Aoshi? Especially the first and second points on this list…" Aoshi, to stop Saito from seeing his flushed cheeks, turned towards Kaoru with a small glare aimed at her. Kaoru looked _extremely_ pale as she stared at Saito.

"I – didn't – "

"Ah, you have a 'crush' on that stupid red-head, _do_ you?" asked Saito, who was continuing to read through the list. Kaoru turned red again. As Saito looked up, he caught sight of Aoshi and Kaoru, both of them blushing as they stared at him. He couldn't help but notice their striking resemblance. _And judging by the immature way they act, it's rather obvious that they're related. They must have inherited that from Mrs. Kamiya._

"I – uh, can I have that back please?" asked Kaoru, softly. Saito raised his eyebrows at her.

"Why don't you allow me to read the rest of this _highly_ fascinating list?" he asked. Kaoru looked at Aoshi, desperately.

"…Just give it back to her…" he said, not really _wanting_ to help her after the trouble she got him into, but god only knew what else that she had written in that list. And it would really make _Saito_'s day if there was anything else about _him_ written in that.

"Embarrassed, Aoshi?" asked Saito, enjoying the discomfort of the two relatives (although they didn't know it). "But I _have_ to say, I never knew that you had – " Saito glanced at his hand as the notebook disappeared from it in a flash. Kaoru, still embarrassed nodded at him and Aoshi.

"I'll see you around then, Aoshi-san," she managed to say, before turning around and running away as fast as she could. Aoshi watched her go, a sinking feeling entering his gut. Saito stared after her for a second before turning towards Aoshi, with a gleam in his amber-eyes.

"…_So – _" Aoshi stood up hurriedly, not caring whether he was clearly showing Saito his discomfort or not.

"…I have to go and…see someone now…" he said, nodding at Saito.

"_Oh? _Is Makimachi in school?" asked Saito, grinning as he watched Aoshi flush, before glaring at him and walking away hurriedly. Saito stared after him, the grin turning into a smile. _So…you've found someone, eh, Aoshi?_ _Okasan will have a field day…but…Makimachi? What exactly do you see in the itachi? _He grinned. It looked like things were going to get…_interesting_, to say the least. As he sat there waiting for the bell to ring, he wondered what he could do to rile Himura up, concerning the Kamiya girl who was in love with him…and who Himura certainly did seem to care about. _This should be fun…_ He stood up suddenly. "But _first_…I need to find _Sagara_…"

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

"I honestly don't know, sensei," said Kenshin, as Hiko Seijiro waited expectantly for an answer from him, "she _wants_ to take part in the tournament…but she only had her cast removed today, so it's difficult to say whether or not she'll _definitely_ be able to part." Hiko sighed.

"Dear _god_…this is all going wrong…so totally wrong…" he mumbled, running a hand through his black hair, "and have any of you gone to see her? Has she said anything?"

"She's told Soujirou, Aoshi and Kaoru that she's taking part," said Kenshin, "but she promised Soujirou that if she felt as though she was endangering herself, she'll stop at once."

"And does Seta think she'll _really_ do that?" asked Hiko, raising his eyebrows. Kenshin nodded.

"Soujirou said that he trusts her and that she wouldn't break a promise," he said, "Besides, we _do_ have six more days, sensei. Once Misao gets used to moving around again, and if everything goes well, she _will_ be able to take part."

"I don't know…" muttered Hiko, shaking his head, "…I don't know about anything anymore…" He sighed, "It's bad enough that I have problems at _home_…but to have to come here for _these_ problems?" Kenshin stared at the man he had known for a very long time, curious.

"Oro?" he said, surprised, "…Problems at _home?_" He stared hard, "But…sensei, you live alone…" Hiko shook his head, understanding Kenshin's surprise.

"Not anymore…" he said. "What?" he asked, as he saw Kenshin's violet eyes widen.

"You – you – you got _married!_" spluttered Kenshin, wondering _who_ in their right mind would actually want to marry Hiko Seijiro. He was just thinking that it must have been an arranged managed, when he was whacked on the head by a glaring Hiko.

"_No,_ I haven't suddenly gotten married," said Hiko, "And what's there to be surprised about, even _if_ I do get married?" he shook his head. "No, I'm actually looking after my two nieces now…their mother – my cousin – passed away, so I'm their 'guardian.'"

"ORO! You're looking after _children?_!" exclaimed Kenshin, earning himself another whack on the head.

"You have a problem with that?" asked Hiko, glaring at him again, "I _did_ look after you for a while _too_, remember?" Kenshin nodded.

"Yeah, and that explains why I've turned out this way…" he mumbled, shaking his head. "Where are your nieces? I mean…what do they do when you're here in school?"

"I've left them with a kind, elderly neighbour who just _loves_ kids," said Hiko, looking relieved, "but I don't think that Ayame and Suzume like her very much; apparently she's not as fun as Misao and Makimachi-san."

"Misao? Makimachi-san?"

"Aa, the day I returned, I left them with Makimachi-san," said Hiko. Kenshin nodded, remembering the two little girls that Sano had said were 'cute' who had been running around Misao when they had gone to see her.

"…So why don't you ask Makimachi-san whether she can look after them then?" he asked, "I mean…they seem pretty young…and it would be best for them to be around someone they like, don't you think?"

"Kenshin, are you out of your mind?" asked Hiko, "Oh no, forgive me, you don't even have a mind in the first place. How can I ask Makimachi-san to do that? I don't even _know_ her…"

"But you know her _daughter_," said Kenshin.

"Yes…but…it still doesn't feel right…" said Hiko, "I can't ask her for favours when I don't even know her…"

"Oro? And when has _that_ stopped you before?" asked Kenshin, skeptically. He was whacked on the head again.

"Don't try to get smart with me, fool," growled Hiko, "if you do, I'll give you another cross-shaped scar like the one you already have…" He shook his head, muttering about how stupid some people could get, and not noticing how rigid one of his best athletes had gone. "In any case, that's all that – " He had turned back to Kenshin, to see him standing extremely still, his face blank. " – Kenshin?"

"… …Gomen, sensei…" said Kenshin, his voice dull, "You were saying…?" Hiko frowned, not fooled by the weak smile that Kenshin attempted to give him. His eyes were _hollow_ for god's sake – how could his baka-deshi expect him not to see that and notice something was wrong? The bell signaling the end of break-time rang, but Hiko ignored it and Kenshin didn't bother mentioning that it had rung. As Hiko stared at the red-head, he remembered what he had been thinking earlier, and he frowned. He knew that he had resolved to ask Kenshin about what was wrong _after_ the tournament…but it seemed like he'd have to ask him now. For his sake.

"Come with me," he said, turning around abruptly and walking away from the staff-room they had been standing outside.

"…Sensei, I have a lesson now…" said Kenshin, slowly.

"I'll make sure you get excused later on…" called Hiko, walking away. Frowning slightly, Kenshin followed him…and realized after a while, that they were heading towards the grounds where they had their athletics practice. He stopped, wondering why he had been brought here. He looked questioningly at his coach.

"Sensei?"

"I brought you here to get some privacy…when I ask you this," said Hiko, not showing much emotion on his face, "what happened to you?" Kenshin stared at him, blinking once or twice and wondering whether he had heard everything right.

"…Sensei?"

"You heard what I said Kenshin," said Hiko, "What happened to you?" He and Kenshin seemed to be involved in a staring contest for the next few minutes – a contest which Hiko finally won, when Kenshin averted his gaze, letting out a long sigh as he did so.

"I just had…an accident, sensei," he said, ignoring the pain that entered his mind and now seemed tenfold, as he thought of the accident.

"Yes, I noticed," said Hiko, "but…what I want to know is what happened in that accident." He saw the boy's averted gaze and frowned. "I _don't_ have all day you know…" When Kenshin finally started speaking, it seemed as though his mind was far, far away…it seemed as though, apart from the fact that the 18 year old boy's body was right there before him, his spirit had moved back in time…to the day the accident had taken place. Hiko Seijiro could only watch and listen as Kenshin's eyes turned hollow, and as his voice sounded almost lifeless.

"There was a girl, sensei…called Tomoe…" started Kenshin, a little colour coming back into his face as he thought about the girl, "…She was, well, that is to say…we were in love…"

* * *

"_Tomoe? Are you ready?" he called, entering the house and looking around, hoping to spot his black-haired girl-friend somewhere downstairs. "Tomoe?" he called, moving into the living room. _

"_I'm here," called Tomoe, sounding a bit breathless as she entered the living-room. Kenshin turned around and his eyes widened at the sight of his girl-friend, dressed in a strapless white dress that didn't cling _too _much to her body to make it indecent, but that didn't hang loose enough to make it baggy. Her hair was let loose from its usual ponytail and the thick black strands of it framed her face before finally ending half-way down her back. A pair of white, tear-drop shaped earrings complimented her whole outfit, as did the small hairclip that she wore that was studded with white and purple stones. _

"_T-Tomoe…you look…" his voice trailed off as he wracked his brain for a suitable adjective. _

"…_Nice, maybe?" asked Tomoe, smiling at the cute expression on her boy-friend's face. Kenshin shook his head vehemently. _

"_No, that's too…general," he said, "How about beautiful?" he smiled back at her, "or…breath-taking?" His smile widened as he saw the blush form on her face. "I take it that's a good enough word?" Tomoe smacked him lightly in the chest._

"_Stop teasing me!" she said, looking mock-hurt. Kenshin looked serious. _

"_Teasing? I'm not teasing you…why would I want to do that?" he asked, before he pulled Tomoe to him in a flash and placed his lips over hers, cutting off whatever she had been about to say. _

"_Neesan, are we going or not?" asked the black-haired boy as he entered the living-room hurriedly buttoning up the jacket of his suit, "I think we're going to be – " Kenshin and Tomoe pulled away from each other when they saw him. _

"_Enishi," said Tomoe, smiling, "He looks good, doesn't he, anata?" Kenshin nodded; yes, Yukishiro Enishi _did _look surprisingly refined in a tuxedo, although he was just 14 at the time. Enishi pushed his glasses up his nose, scowling at Kenshin before smiling at his older sister. _

"_And you look exquisite, neesan," he said. Tomoe giggled. With a brother like Enishi and a boy-friend like Kenshin, she had to be the most complimented female alive in the world. She shook her head at the two men as they shot her curious glances. _

"_You look downright handsome, anata," she said, turning to Kenshin who just smiled at her, happy that he had actually managed to get the black-suit done properly. "Well then, shall we go now?" she asked, looking at Enishi for confirmation, "Yamagata-san will not really approve of us getting late for her anniversary dinner…" _

"_Why do we have to go for this dinner in the first place, neesan? And why do we need to dress up like this?" asked Enishi, watching as his sister made sure that the windows nearby were locked. _

"_Because, Enishi, Yamagata-san and her husband have always been very good friends of Okasan," called Tomoe, checking the kitchen door, "And it's only natural for us to continue to be civil to her; Okasan would have appreciated it." She headed towards the two men again, linking her arm with Kenshin's. "Come on; let's get going before we really are late."_

"_But neesan, how are we getting there?" asked Enishi, hoping against hope that the blue car he had seen outside wasn't…Kenshin's. _

"_Kenshin's driving us there," said Tomoe, shooting her brother a 'look.' "We discussed this before, remember, Enishi?" _

"…_But – neesan, he…he only just got his license…and – "_

" – _Enishi…please, can we just go?" interrupted Tomoe, a small frown appearing on her face, "Please?" Looking at his sister for a minute, Enishi sighed in defeat. _

"_Hai," he said, "but he better drive carefully." _

"_Don't worry about it, Enishi, I will," said Kenshin, smiling at the younger boy as they all walked outside, looking the front door behind them, and got into the car with Tomoe sitting in the front with Kenshin, and Enishi sitting in the back. During the drive to the fancy hotel, Tomoe and Kenshin conversed casually, with Tomoe teasing Kenshin a little, before reverting to a few serious issues. That was how it was with the couple; they could talk about absolutely anything and enjoy themselves…as long as they had each other to talk to. Enishi, in the back, kept quiet, sulking no doubt, at having to go with Kenshin for the dinner. _

_When they finally arrived at the hotel, they parked the car and walked inside, heading for the restaurant the dinner was being held in. Tomoe and Kenshin were in the lead, their arms linked, and Enishi brought up the rear, scowling as he watched the special smiles that his sister kept on giving Kenshin. _

_After everyone made a big fuss over how beautiful 'Tomoe-chan' looked, resembling her mother greatly, and how handsome young Enishi was and how handsome he would be in the future…and how lucky 'Tomoe-chan' was to have such a cute boyfriend, the trio finally managed to sit down. Most of the people present were in their middle-ages, which meant that the conversation wasn't really entertaining for the teenagers, although Kenshin did his best to listen to what was being said when he was spoken to. After dinner and after making many toasts to Mr. and Mrs. Yamagata (who were slightly drunk at that point) and after Tomoe gently pried away the half-empty glass of wine that Enishi had drunk from, the trio found themselves becoming rather bored. Tomoe whispered something in Kenshin's ear, to which he smiled before looking questioningly at her. She nodded. Telling Enishi to stay where he was as they were going to be back in around half an hour, Tomoe and Kenshin stood up, excusing themselves (and were teased quite a lot) before walking away. _

_A while later, they were in the now quiet park, sitting side by side on one of the white benches, staring up at the stars. Tomoe's head was resting on Kenshin's shoulders and he in turn had his arm wrapped around her. _

"_Kenshin…" _

"_Hai?" _

"_Do you think…that we'll always be able to be like this?" Kenshin looked down at Tomoe, wondering why she sounded a little bit…wary. _

"_What do you mean, Tomoe?" he asked, gently. _

"_I…I suddenly have this feeling that…this will not last…" whispered Tomoe, her eyes, hidden from Kenshin's view, showing her fear. Kenshin hugged Tomoe tightly._

"_No, Tomoe…you shouldn't think like that," he said, "If you go to think too much about things, then you'll never get to enjoy life…" Tomoe sighed. _

"_You're right…" she said, "We should enjoy these moments that we have together…and we should treasure them greatly…"_

"_I know that I certainly will," said Kenshin, softly. Tomoe smiled. She knew that he would too. _

"_And I will too," she said. She felt Kenshin relaxed and turned her attention back to the stars. "Ne, Kenshin…if something _does _happen to me – "_

" – _No, Tomoe, please, don't say that," interrupted Kenshin, tensing up. _

"_Just listen," said Tomoe, "if something does happen to me, will you promise that you'll continue to live your life?" Kenshin pulled Tomoe away from him so that he could stare at her. She noticed the frown on his face and the mixed emotions in his eyes just as he noticed the fear in _her _eyes. _

"_How can I live without you, Tomoe?" he whispered, shaking his head. If it had been in any other situation, Tomoe would have smiled, thinking that she was the luckiest girl in the world. _

"_No, Kenshin, I'm being serious," she said, "Will you promise me that?" _

"_Tomoe, I – " Kenshin stopped when she placed a finger to his lips, and he stared at her, stricken._

"_Promise me, Himura Kenshin," said Tomoe, softly. Kenshin stared hard at her, before closing his eyes. When he opened them, he pulled Tomoe towards him again and kissed her, willing his fears away by mentally repeating to himself that nothing would go wrong. A bird, probably an owl, hooted from somewhere, and Kenshin pulled away from Tomoe, smiling gently at her. _

"_I can't promise you anything like that Tomoe," he said, at last, "although, I promise you that I certainly will try…" Tomoe smiled brightly at him. That was all that she needed. She knew that Kenshin would try, especially when he promised to. _

"_Thank-you," she said, glancing absentmindedly at the silver watch on her wrist, "I knew I could – Kenshin! Look at the time! We're late!" Kenshin gasped. He hadn't realized that time had flown by so soon. _

"_We promised Enishi we'd be back in half-an hour, didn't we?" he asked. Tomoe nodded._

"_And we're almost one and a half hours late!" she exclaimed. Kenshin shook his head, chuckling._

"_He's never going to speak to me after this," he said. _

"_Not if I can help it," said Tomoe, "he just needs to get used to the fact that his neesan needs to be happy too. Once he realizes that, I'm sure he'll love you." _

"_If you say so, Tomoe," said Kenshin, standing up and helping her to her feet, "Let's go." Due to the fact that they were really late, and that Tomoe was really worried that her brother would have been left alone, she urged Kenshin to speed up. At first, he was reluctant to do so, but then he realized that anything could happen to the fourteen year old Enishi, so he agreed, a little apprehensive at first, but then calming down and getting used to it. _

_In twenty minutes, they were almost at the hotel. Instead of deciding to park in the car-park, Kenshin told Tomoe as he continued to drive that he'd wait by the front of the hotel, in the car, while Tomoe went inside and got Enishi. Tomoe agreed. They were almost at the front of the hotel, and Tomoe had opened the car door, ready to get down, when headlights suddenly shone on the small rented car that she and Kenshin were in. Kenshin blinked at the sudden brightness, just as Tomoe did the same. Her eyes adjusted to what was going on sooner than he did, and she screamed as she saw the car speed towards them, obviously out of control. _

"_Kenshin!" she screamed, not bothering to jump out of the car like she should have when her mind screamed at her to do so. Instead, she leaned towards Kenshin, her eyes wide and a foreboding feeling in her gut. Kenshin's eyes only adjusted to the bright light when the car was an inch or two away from them. Reflexes kicking in, he automatically tried to push Tomoe away from him, knowing that it was too late. None of them had time to react in any other way, before the car smashed into them. None of them cared much about anything else but about making sure that the other was going to be harmed the least. And none of them saw the little boy standing outside the hotel where he had been anxiously looking for the blue-car. None of them saw his eyes widen in horror, or heard the heart-wrenching scream that escaped from his mouth. _

_When Kenshin managed to open his eyes, the first thing that he had felt was a stinging, unbearable pain in his leg. Remembering what had happened in a flash, he looked furtively around him. Everywhere he looked he saw shattered glass and – his eyes widened – blood. Hearing an almost inaudible gasp from somewhere close-by, he turned to his left and he thought his heart almost stopped beating. Tomoe. _

"_To-moe…?" he called, his voice hoarse even as he reached out to her, ignoring the pain that seared through his whole body as he attempted to move. "Tomoe…!" Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing an almost empty pair of eyes. Kenshin felt the fear rise in his chest. "Are you…OK, Tomoe?" _

"…_My body…I feel…" her voice trailed off, and Kenshin, squinting his eyes, was able to make out the dark stains that seemed to cover her pure white dress completely. "…Your face…" Startled, he raised his hand to where she was looking at and, to his surprise, felt blood…and a strange sort of mark on the left side of his face. "It's…a…cross…" gasped Tomoe, weakly. Kenshin shook aside his shock and turned to his girlfriend. _

"_Don't talk, Tomoe, you're going to be fine," he said, as reassuringly as he could. He could already hear an ambulance nearby, and his heart screamed at it to hurry. Tomoe needed the help. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you…" He managed to reach out and clasp her hand in his, paling further when he felt the iciness of her skin. "…Tomoe?"_

"…_I don't think…I can…" Tomoe stopped, gasping for breath, "…K-Kenshin…" Kenshin shook his head as her eyes turned on him, telling him what he didn't want to accept. _

"_No," he croaked, "No, don't – you can't…don't do this to me, Tomoe…" he pleaded, his eyes filling with tears as he saw the pain that was practically over-flowing in her beautiful eyes. _

"…_remember…" whispered Tomoe, her words getting softer, "…remember your promise…" she gasped for breath just as her eyelids fluttered again, "anata…remember your pr-promise…" She reached out and gingerly touched the fresh scar on his cheek, not noticing how he winced. The last thing that he saw her do was smile tenderly at him, before gasping one more time. The hand that had been touching his scar fell limp…and her eyes closed slowly. She was gone. _

"_Tomoe?" he whispered, pushing aside all rational thoughts, "…Tomoe?" he received no answer. "TOMOE!"_ _And that was the last thing that he remembered, before he blacked out, emotionally exhausted and physically injured. _

* * *

Hiko Seijiro could only stare at Kenshin as he finished recounting his story concerning the accident. His mind was reeling; he had known that someone _had_ died in that accident that had been the cause of Kenshin's leaving town and being unable to even _walk_ properly…but he had never known that it was someone important to _Kenshin._

"…And that's what happened," said Kenshin, his eyes still hollow, as the image of the severely injured Tomoe flashed across his head causing him to wince. Hiko cleared his throat.

"I…didn't know…" he said, quietly, "...So that's the reason why you've been walking around with a heavy burden on your shoulders?" Kenshin nodded, not surprised that the coach had figured it out; he had had a feeling that he would notice something was wrong when he returned.

"I killed her, sensei…what heavier burden could anyone possibly have?" he asked. Hiko raised his eyebrows.

"_You_ killed her? You were only in the car and you weren't the driver of the _other_ car that caused it to happen," he said, "And what happened to the driver of the other car anyway?"

"He was _drunk_," growled Kenshin, "…And he survived the accident." Hiko inhaled sharply. It was rather cruel that the person who was responsible for the accident was still alive whereas an innocent girl had to die. But then again, that was fate, wasn't it? The two of them stood where they were, facing each other but not saying anything as their thoughts were far away.

"What happened to her brother?" asked Hiko, remembering about the fourteen year old that Kenshin had mentioned. He wondered at the saddened expression on Kenshin's face. _Surely nothing can have happened to the boy?_

"He saw everything happen…and…he went into shock, from what I was told," said Kenshin, his shoulders slumping, "He was there at the small funeral that we had…" he sighed, "and he said that he'll never forgive me for – for killing his…neesan…" Kenshin smiled ruefully, "And I can't really blame him for that…" Hiko's mind recoiled inside him, telling him that what Kenshin was doing to himself was wrong. Why the hell was his baka-deshi blaming himself for something that wasn't his fault?

"Where is the kid now? Is he even in Japan?" he asked.

"Aa…" said Kenshin, looking up at him with a saddened gleam entering his eyes, "He's in Toriyama right now…" Hiko's eyes widened, wondering why he had a bad feeling in his gut, "You remember Toriyama's _star_ athlete, sensei?" Hiko frowned slightly, before nodding. "Well that's him…Yukishiro Enishi." The expression on Hiko's face was classic.

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

As they sat through their History class, Soujirou and Yahiko couldn't help but glance occasionally at their black-haired friend. Why? Well, it wasn't normal – even for _Kaoru_ – to sit in class staring at the book on her desk with her face bright red. Yahiko glanced at Soujirou, his eyebrows raised as though asking him what had happened. Soujirou shook his head to indicate that he didn't know, before glancing at Kaoru again. Ever-since she had run out of class saying she had left something at the cafeteria, she had been like this. Had something…happened?

Even though Kaoru was staring down at her History text-book, her mind was far, _far_ away from the topic that they were discussing then ('_how sensible was it for swordsmen to declare that they would never kill again during the times after the fall of the Tokugawa shoganate?')_. She couldn't believe what had happened. She just _couldn't._

'_Dammit…of ALL the books to fall out of my bag, it HAD to be THAT one!'_ she growled inwardly, before her face turned red as she remembered what Saito had said about her and Kenshin. '_Well that's what you get, baka, for writing down 'Kaoru & Kenshin' in a notebook…that you bring to school!'_ She had to admit that that particular inner-voice was true. '_But STILL…why did SAITO of all people have to find that notebook!'_

Her eyes widened as she remembered Aoshi's flushed face…and Saito's comments on point no.1 and 2 on her 'list.' She knew those two points by heart; they were about Aoshi and Misao-chan. '_Oh.My.God.'_ She fought off the urge to scream as realization dawned on her. Aoshi and Misao-chan. Aoshi had been _there_…and…Saito could possibly have _told_ Aoshi about the points…and that meant that – '_Oh Kaoru, you are SO dead…'_

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

Misao was lying down on the grass outside her house, her arms spread out on either side of her as she breathed in the scent of fresh air. She couldn't believe how good she felt. She had walked around the whole fairly large garden a couple of times before getting bored and jogging on the side-walk – which her mother didn't see. In any case, her knee _or_ her ankle hadn't hurt much when she had been jogging; it was only when she increased her speed into a sprint that the pain hit her. She had had every inclination of just continuing with the sprint when she remembered the promise that she made Soujirou the night before. Sighing heavily, she had stopped running and gone to lie down on the grass. Soujirou had been _very_ clever when he had made her promise him to stop if she ever thought she was risking her health. He knew that she would never break a promise, much less one that she made to _him._

She smiled as she remembered what the two of them had overheard her mother and grandfather say when they had gone downstairs to the dining room for dinner. The two adults hadn't heard them enter the dining room, and it turned out that they had been talking about Soujirou and Misao – which somewhat surprised the two teenagers. They just heard Mrs. Makimachi saying '_If I have ever had a son, Otosan, it's definitely Soujirou…'_ before they were spotted and were told to sit down and start eating. Misao, having known Soujirou for as long as she did, smiled when she saw the unsaid emotion in the boy's blue-eyes as they sat down at the table. She had had a feeling that that was something Soujirou would never forget in his life and she was glad.

As she lay there on the ground smiling, her thoughts immediately wondered off to a certain 18 year old; a certain _good-looking_ 18 year old. She felt her cheeks grow warm as she simply _thought_ of him, before her smile disappeared as she remembered what she had told Kaoru the other day. She couldn't believe that she had said that either, as she had never been the type to put herself down. But she had her reasons, and she knew that she couldn't argue with them.

Why _would_ someone as good-looking as Aoshi fall for someone as plain and simple as _her?_ Aoshi could get any girl he wanted without any problem…and here _she_ was, aiming too high. She sighed heavily, feeling an unfamiliar emotion surge through her. It was just too bad that Aoshi was the first person she had actually _loved_ in this sense. And it was just awful that the first person she loved didn't even care two hoots about her. '_How do YOU know that? Are you a mind-reader or something?'_ asked one of her inner-voices, sounding exasperated, '_look, you don't know whether he has feelings for you or not, and I understand that you don't want to hurt yourself which is why you're trying to tell yourself from NOW that things won't work out between the two of you…but COME ON, how can you be so SURE?'_

"I don't know…" mumbled Misao, aloud, "I mean, I'd love it if he _had_ feelings for me…but is there a point in getting my hopes up for nothing?" '_Hopes or not, you can't ignore the fact that he's drop-dead gorgeous…' _Misao had to agree with her inner voice on this one. He _was_ gorgeous…she flushed as she found herself dreaming wistfully about him again, before she shrugged. It was nice, to dream about him.

* * *

**Mitsurugi High-School:**

After telling their literature teacher that Kenshin had gone off to meet Hiko Seijiro, Aoshi was quiet for the rest of the lesson even when the teacher asked him whether Kenshin was planning on coming for the lesson at all. How was _he_ supposed to know? It wasn't like either one of them had _told_ him anything. Shrugging inwardly, he turned his attention back to the lesson…or rather, he _tried_ to, but found that he couldn't.

His mind was still reeling with what Saito had said, or rather, with what Saito had _read_ out from Kaoru-san's notebook. He, for the live of him, couldn't believe what had happened during that last couple of minutes of break. Saito had sat down when the others had gone and had actually _managed_ to get him riled up by saying something, or rather by starting to say something about his 'mother' when he had been…distracted by the more _interesting_ things written in the notebook he had discovered. If that wasn't bad _enough_…Saito had to go and…and read that about…

He bowed his head feeling his cheeks grow warm again, for no apparent reason – or _was_ there a reason? Feeling his inner voice starting to wake up, he hurriedly shook his head, mentally willing himself to focus on the lesson and not on unnecessary things. '_Hey…come on, you just heard the best news of your whole life!' _said his inner voice, having woken up, '_It looks like Misao _does _have a thing for you!'_ He shook his head vehemently. That wasn't true – or rather, that _couldn't_ be true. What would someone as…as cheerful and bubbly…and easy-going…see in someone as…quiet, held-back and…well, _cold_ like him? '_Is that a tinge of REGRET that I discerned when you thought about that?'_ He would have glared at his inner voice if he could, but, unfortunately, he couldn't.

Of course it wasn't regret. It didn't really matter if someone didn't like him. He was used to it. Well, almost all the girls he had met during his teens _had_ loved him…but that was for an entirely different reason. And he just _couldn't_ see Misao liking him, and he _had_ to admit that, even if it made him feel rather…uncomfortable. His eyes widened. _Uncomfortable?_ Why would he feel _uncomfortable_ just because he thought that Misao couldn't possibly like _him?_

'_How many times must I point this out to you? Never-mind, I'll point it out to you again; you're intrigued by Makimachi Misao – I mean, why else would you constantly think about THIS girl, when, no offence to Misao or anything, you've met a couple of prettier girls before? Why do you spend time mulling over this particular girl?'_

He frowned. Why _did_ he spend time thinking about her? Perhaps…because he hung around with people who seemed to love her a lot? Yes, that made sense…everyone he talked to (i.e. everyone he hung around with at break-time) knew and loved Misao. '_Oh for the love of – honestly, when are you going to start using your BRAIN?' reprimanded his inner voice, sounding rather frustrated, 'If that's the only reason why you think so much about Misao, then why, oh Mr. 'I'm-so-cold-and-unemotional-that-no-one-can-possibly-like-me', do you seem to hate Seta Soujirou so much?'_

Hate Seta Soujirou? He didn't hate Seta…did he? He frowned; if he _didn't _hate him, then…why did he constantly shoot him cold glances, especially when the kid hadn't done anything to him? His frown deepened. So…what his inner voice was trying to point out, then, was...he shook his head. No way. No _freaking_ way. He was past that stage of adolescent 'crushes.' (Well, actually, he had never _been_ to that stage, but anyway!) He…he couldn't be…it – it didn't seem..._right_, somehow…

'_Grow up and accept it, A-o-shi. Why else do you hate Seta Soujirou for no reason at all? Why else do you find yourself thinking more and more about that girl? Why else do you think that you ARGUED with someone over something about the girl? Why else did you blush – ah, I KNOW you did – when Saito was…teasing you about her?'_ he listened to his inner-voice, not quite sure about what he was supposed to say, '_You're in love with her, Aoshi. The question shouldn't be 'it can't be' or 'why' or 'how'…it should be 'what should I do from here?'_

Aoshi stared hard at the opened book on his table, the statements his inner voice made whirling around his head. But…_she_ would never – '_Remember point no. 1 in that list Saito read out? Remember what Saito said was written there? About her feelings?' _Aoshi flushed, feeling…strange…

How could he believe that? How would _Kaoru_-san know about _Misao's_ feelings? He ignored his inner voice (that said that Kaoru _was_ one of Misao's close friends after all) and frowned. So far in his life, he had managed to get through without being hurt _too _much. He remembered his friends back in Eigamura; Hannya, Beshimi, Hyottoko and Shikijou…and how they had all been on the receiving end of unrequited love. He knew how they had gone moping around, glaring at him when he simply gave them a knowing look which said 'I told you so.' He had avoided that kind of 'moping around' in his life _this_ far…and…well, was it wise of him to risk getting hurt _now?_ Especially when he already was alone in the world? He shook his head. No, he shouldn't dwell on this any longer – if he _did_, it would _really_ eat him up. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and started counting to ten, trying to calm himself down in order for him to concentrate on the lesson.

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

Mrs. Kamiya was seated on the couch, staring at the TV that was in front of her, but her mind far away from it. She had made up her mind; she _would_ do it. Today. It was for the best, and – she gulped – it _would_ probably ruin her family…but it was worth it if she could stop something horrible from happening between Kaoru and Aoshi. She knew that it would be difficult, and she even wondered whether Aoshi would believe her or not. _Well, if he doesn't believe me, he can always call Kazuko and find out._

"Kaeri? Kaeri – oh, there you are…" Kamiya Kaeri jumped up startled, as she heard her husband's voice from nearby. She spun around, her heart beating fast. _What's…what's he doing here? I didn't even hear the car…_

"H-Hisashi," she said, managing to give him a weak smile, "What are you doing here? Are you ill?" Hisashi shook his head as he headed towards the office-room.

"No, I just realized that I forgot some important documents and I need them for the meeting that I'm going to be having today," he said, his voice sounding muffled as he entered the study-room. Kaeri couldn't stop herself from sighing in relief. She had honestly thought that he had found out about – she shook her head, managing to smile. She was being paranoid.

Hisashi shifted various files and piles of papers around on his desk, looking for the 'important documents' that he needed. He couldn't remember whether he had put them into a file or not. He growled impatiently.

"Come _on_, it _has_ to be here somewhere…" he muttered, wondering whether he should call for Kaeri since she was _much_ better at finding things. "Kae – " He stopped when he found the file and grinned. He had managed to find it. Moving away hurriedly, in his hurry to get back to the office in time, he nudged one of the glass paperweights on his desk, causing it to topple off, on to the ground. Old reflexes kicking in, he reached over hurriedly and managed to grab it before it fell, grumbling when he dropped the file in the process. Replacing the paperweight, he bent down and started picking up the papers that had fallen from the file, not caring _what_ he picked up as he stuffed it in the file in his hurry to get back. He didn't notice the odd slip of paper that he picked up in his rush; the odd slip of paper that was faded, showing that it was rather old...the odd slip of paper that would have had his wife turn white with worry. Finally stuffing everything back in, he walked briskly out of the room.

"I'll see you at dinner Kaeri," he called, smiling at his wife before walking outside and hurrying towards his car. He didn't notice his wife relaxing as he shut the front door behind him, and neither did he notice the relieved sigh she released.

* * *

**An hour later:**

He sat in his office, sipping the tea from his cup as he looked through the file he had brought from home. His meeting was in another hour and a half, so he had plenty of times to go through the documents and make sure they were up to standard. Putting aside the paper he had been reading – concerning the shares of his company – he picked up the next sheet of folded paper, frowning as he saw it. The paper was a pale shade of yellow – a yellow that signified its age.

"That's strange…I thought these documents were done up last week…" he mused, aloud, before unfolding the paper. It only took a quick glance at the format for him to notice that it was a letter; a hand written letter. "Hand-written? I thought these things were typed…" he mumbled, wondering whether or not he should call his secretary and ask her whether she had bothered to check the file before she had given it for him to take home, when he saw who the letter was addressed to. _Kaeri_. The letter was addressed to his…_wife?_ Curious, he pushed his reading glasses back up his nose and started reading, hoping that he wasn't breaching his wife's privacy as he did so. The letter _had_ after all, been in _his_ file.

His dark-eyes widened after he had read the first paragraph of the letter. The hand that was holding the old letter was crushing it – probably destroying the paper – but he didn't care. This – this was…he re-read the paragraph he had just read, unable to believe it. Kaeri…_his_ Kaeri…had been – had been – feeling a sense of fury bubble up inside of him, he skipped the rest of the letter and glanced at the bottom, hoping to spot who the letter was sent from. _Shinomori Yuuji._ He gasped. That name sounded familiar…he suddenly frowned. Wasn't _Yuuji_ the name of Kaeri's best-friend? And…and didn't the kid staying in the house with them have the surname _Shinomori?_

His anger mounting as an explanation – the _only_ possible explanation for what was going on at home – entered his head. He did his best to push it _out _of his head, but he couldn't. Glancing at the letter again, he resolved to read the _rest_ of it…before going home and shoving it in front of his wife's face, demanding an explanation.

* * *

**A/N**

PHEW…that was _long_. I'm terribly sorry about the length of this chapter, but I didn't want to stop without advancing the plot a little bit more. I hope it was interesting…although, maybe it wasn't…

Heh, I was actually going to stop the fic after Kenshin had his little 'flashback' but I thought that it seemed like the chapter centered too much on Kenshin, instead of on Aoshi or Misao…so I added more – and now my brain had dried up.

I hope you enjoyed chapter seventeen! Reviews will be _completely_ welcome (although I guess I don't deserve them for not updating for so long!)

See ya soon!

Siriusgirl1


	19. Revelation

**A/N**

A belated MERRY CHRISTMAS to everyone!

Heh, I know this chapter is _extremely_ delayed…but I hope it was worth it. I _do_ remember promising to finish this fic this year, and I still plan on doing that!

Since has disallowed review-responses at the beginning of chapters, I just want to say a quick THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed! If you're a registered member and reviewed, I hope I replied to it, though if I didn't, I most certainly _will_ do it soon. Anonymous reviews I can't reply to, unfortunately, but I still _really_ want to thank everyone who reviewed!

Heh, on with the chapter then, eh?

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: Revelation**

Kaoru looked up as she heard a knock on her closed room door. "Come in," she said, before looking back down at the essay she was working on, and completing the sentence she had been writing. When she was done, she looked up and smiled to see her mother standing in her room, an unreadable expression on her face.

"Okasan," she said, her smile wavering slightly when she saw the paleness of her mother's face. "Is everything OK?" Mrs. Kamiya nodded hurriedly, mentally chiding herself.

"Oh, yes," she said, giving her daughter a weak smile, "I just…well, I wanted to see whether you wanted anything…" Kaoru could not resist raising an eyebrow at her mother.

"Er, no, not really…" she said, puzzled, "Why?" Her mother looked sharply at her. "O – Okasan?" Mrs. Kamiya frowned inwardly as she saw the concerned expression on her daughter's face. What was wrong with her? If she wasn't too careful, she would end up blurting everything out to Kaoru first…and…her rejection was something she didn't think she would be able to bear.

"Sorry if I disturbed you, Kaoru," she said at last, after a small silence, "Go ahead and carry on with your work…" Giving her another weak smile, she turned around and headed back towards the door, when she paused. "Kaoru…I…" When her mother paused, looking as though she was struggling to say whatever it was that she wanted to say, Kaoru was _really_ worried. It wasn't like her mother to act like this. _What's going on here?_

"Okasan are you feeling alright?" she asked, slowly, "If you are, why don't you…lie down or something? There'll be no need for you to make dinner; we can always ask Otosan to get something from somewhere on his way home." She grinned, "Or I can always cook…"

Mrs. Kamiya could not help but smile at her daughter's suggestion. "I don't think you, your father or Aoshi would want food poisoning, Kaoru," she said, "And neither would I."

"Okasan! My cooking's not _that_ bad!" exclaimed Kaoru, indignantly, "Is it?" Shaking her head and not answering, Mrs. Kamiya walked out of the room, closing the door behind her as she did so. Kaoru stared at the door, frowning slightly as a voice inside her head told her that her mother's behaviour was really odd, but shrugged it off and turned back to the essay she was working on.

She didn't notice Mrs. Kamiya leaning against the closed door, her deep blue eyes saddened as she stared at nothing in particular in the corridor. "I'm so sorry…Kaoru…" whispered Mrs. Kamiya, before she pulled herself together and headed downstairs.

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

Saito Kazuko didn't _stare._ Well, she _must_ have when she had been a small child…but she was _sure_ that she didn't make it a habit to continue to stare at people at her present age. Especially when the 'people' were those such as her son; and even more so when she was staring just because he was…well, looking as though he was in a good mood.

Saito nodded at whatever his mother was saying as he continued to stare at the TV, his legs stretched out on the couch. Sensing eyes staring at his back, he sighed inwardly and turned around to find his mother still standing there, her eyebrows raised.

"Is there something wrong, Okasan?" he asked, in a different tone of voice to what he usually used on anyone else he knew. His mother shook her head, or rather, _seemed_ as though she was _going_ to shake her head, when she nodded.

"Well…it's not that there's something…wrong…" she said slowly, knowing that she should choose her words carefully lest her son should clam up again and not talk to her. "It's just…" she paused. "Hajime, did…anything _good_ happen in school?"

Saito cocked an eyebrow, "…Why do you ask?"

"You're…looking c – " his mother stopped. She had been about to say _cheerful_ when her consciousness had thankfully reminded her that it was the wrong word to use. _Since when has Hajime been cheerful anyway?_ "You seem to be in a very good mood." Saito's amber eyes gleamed in amusement as he continued to observe his mother for a moment or two, before shrugging and turning back to the TV.

"It's not a crime, is it Okasan?" was all that he said. Kazuko stared at the back of his head, stunned. Something was _definitely_ going on.

"Oh, Hajime…" Biting back a growl, Saito turned back around.

"Yes?"

"Remember…remember what you told me about Kaoru? Uh, Kamiya Kaoru?" She didn't see her son's eyes widen slightly. "Well…are she and Aoshi – well, are they…_involved?_"

Saito could not stop himself from frowning. He had completely forgotten about that. _Che…I only said that to worry her into telling the poor kid about his mother, I hope she didn't take it seriously._ He looked at the worried expression on his mother's face. _Or maybe she did. Crap. And it's quite clear, at least from what I saw of his behaviour during break, that he's in love with someone ELSE. Even though she's more of an immature weasel than what I would have expected. _

"…Involved?" he echoed. His mother nodded, not willing to elaborate further. It was bad enough that she was prying into her nephew's private life anyway. No need to elaborate on it. "Er, I…" Saito paused. What should he say? The truth? _No, I don't think so._ Then what - ? "I don't _think_ they're involved," he said at last, "That kid wouldn't get involved with anyone…" _Unless they're immature weasels…_

Kazuko looked surprised. Whatever answer she had been expecting, it was clear that it wasn't this. "They're…they're not?" Saito shook his head, and followed the action with a shrug.

"I don't think they are," was all that he said, before he turned back to the TV, desperately hoping that his mother wouldn't question him further. He could feel his mother still staring at the back of his head, but didn't turn around. He did _not_ feel comfortable talking about the…little white-lie he had told her. Ignoring the voice in his head that said it _wasn't_ a simple white-lie, he tried to focus on the TV.

* * *

**Sagara-Residence:**

"Dammit." He paced up and down his room, the particularly bad scowl on his face growing as sounds of gunshots and of swords-clashing filled the air. He spun around to glare at the figure seated cross-legged in front of the small TV in his room, a console in his hands, "Will you _please_ stop that?"

The figure either didn't hear him, or just heard him and ignored him. Either way, he kept on playing the game, his eyes focused on the screen as he moved his fingers across the console accordingly, wincing occasionally as the character _he_ was controlling got hit once or twice.

Growling, he walked past the seated figure and, crouching down behind the TV, reached out and quickly pulled the plug for the TV out of its' socket. When he stood up again, he could see the seated figure staring at the TV, scratching his head and wondering why on earth everything had just turned blank.

"What just happened?" he asked, looking at his friend.

"I yanked the plug out," replied the brown-haired figure, looking satisfied with himself. "Save it Yahiko, I'm _not_ in the mood to listen to _you_ yelling at me too," he snapped, seeing his friend open his mouth looking as though he was ready to argue with him. Yahiko glared at him for a minute or two, before he dropped the console on the floor.

"Couldn't you have _told_ me before you did that? I would have saved the progress; I've never actually gotten past that big block-head before you know," he muttered, "But I guess you don't really care about that, do you?" Sano shook his head as he sank down on his bed.

"I _swear_ to god…I _am_ going to kill him one day…" he mumbled, his voice muffled as he placed his face in his hands. Yahiko wondered whether he should act thick and ask him _who_ he was talking about, but decided that in the mood his friend was in…it would be wiser to _not_ act ignorant.

"Don't worry, I'm sure that you won't have to do it alone," he said, "I can think of quite a few people who wouldn't mind helping you dispose of him."

"He had the _nerve_ to – to do _this_ to me!" exclaimed Sano, looking up at Yahiko, his brown-eyes blazing. Yahiko winced as he saw the ugly bruise on the right side of Sano's face. And he knew that by the next morning it would be a distinct blue-black colour…not that it wasn't distinct enough already.

"…Yeah, well, Saito's just an – "

" – And _why_ the hell did Aoshi hold me back again?" wondered Sano, his eyes narrowing, "I mean, I was _quite_ prepared to left-hook the greasy haired slime-ball back…but Aoshi didn't let me…"

Yahiko sighed inwardly, "Remember the _last_ time you tried attacking Saito?" He saw his friend tense and nodded, "Yeah, I thought you still remembered; well, if Aoshi hadn't stopped you _today_, who knows _what_ would've happened?"

"That's not the point!" snapped Sano, "I could have at least tried! That amber-eyed…bastard punched me and…I couldn't do a _thing_ about it!"

Yahiko refrained from saying anything; which was probably wise. It wouldn't do if what he _really_ thought were to slip out of his mouth now; and what did he really think? That Saito was anyway going to get hold of Sano and punish him, so, it was just better really that he had done it sooner…and with just a punch. Well, fine, not _just_ a punch…a well-placed, strong punch. _But something tells me that Saito won't stop here...he doesn't strike me as being the kind of person who'd just punch someone and forget that they'd gotten him into late detention a while ago. _

His eyes widened as a sudden thought popped into his head. "Hey…sensei and Kenshin never turned up for practice, did they?" Sano, who had been muttering to himself while Yahiko had drifted away with his thoughts, looked up suddenly.

"Hmm…you're right…" he said, "But, they were both there…I mean, Kenshin was there during break and then Sensei came up to speak to Kenshin during break, right?"

"Could they have…gone somewhere?" Sano raised his eyebrows.

"Oh? And _where_ would they have gone?" he asked. Yahiko shrugged.

"I don't know it was just a suggestion…" he mumbled. A knock on the room door snapped them out of their thoughts.

"Sanosuke, dinner's ready. Bring Yahiko-kun with you, will you?" Sano sighed.

"Yeah, sure thing, Kachan," he mumbled, listening as his mother's feet faded. When he was sure she wouldn't be able to hear him, he looked at Yahiko, an alarmed expression on his face. "What am I going to do?" he asked, "When they – when _she_ sees my face…she's going to think I've been fighting again…"

"Well, that's _true_, isn't it?" asked Yahiko.

"That's _not_ the point here!" glared Sano, touching his cheek and wincing, "You _know_ that I'll be dead meat! They banned me from all of that fighting I used to do before, remember?" Yahiko nodded; how could he forget? A few years ago, Sano had been every bit the teenage gangster; beating people up for practically no reason…and scaring the daylights out of everyone else. If it hadn't been for a younger but pretty much the same cheerful Kenshin…and he supposed, Mr. and Mrs. Sagara's threats, he'd still be the same gangster. Fed up of the numerous amounts of detentions and eventually, the letter of suspension and further talks of possible _expulsion_, Sano's parents had somehow managed to knock some sense into him.

Which was why he was now worried that his parents would think that he was starting to fight again. "Maybe they'll believe you if…you say you fell down the stairs or something?"

"Yeah, and I happened to get _such_ a large bruise because of that, huh?"

"If you have any other better ideas, go ahead," said Yahiko, as he stood up, "But can we go downstairs now? I'm hungry."

Sano scowled, "Some friend _you_ are…" he muttered, before he wrenched his room door open and walked outside, closely followed by Yahiko.

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

As he brought the car to a halt in front of the traffic-lights, the expression on his face was one of anger. He didn't relax his grip on the steering-wheel one bit…in fact, his hands clutched it tighter. Even though he was staring ahead of him, his thoughts were far, _far_ away. He couldn't _believe_ what had been revealed to him that afternoon. Growling, he moved his head around and his eyes narrowed dangerously when he saw the aged piece of paper lying on the seat next to him.

His temper rose as he simply _looked_ at the damn thing. _Damn that letter. Damn Shinomori Yuuji. Damn Kaeri. Damn that bastard kid…dammit…dammit ALL!_

"Just you _wait_, Kaeri…" he muttered, as he turned his attention to the traffic-lights once more. Normally, he wouldn't have doubted his wife so suddenly – and simply because of some old _letter – _but it all made _complete_ sense. He would receive _some_ explanation before the day was over; he promised himself _that_.

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

Aoshi let out a long sigh as he entered his room, closing the door behind him. It had _not_ been a good day for him. Mentally threatening his inner-voices, he prevented them from starting to talk about the…many things that had been revealed; especially during break-time. He _really_ didn't need those thoughts to plague him again. It was bad enough that they had made it _impossible_ for him to concentrate in class or even during athletics practice.

Athletics practice…he sighed as he remembered the '_main-event'_ of that practice; Saito and Sagara. Inwardly, he was somewhat relieved that his cousin had _left_ it at a single punch – that he hadn't pursued the fight with Sagara Sanosuke. If he had…well, either Sagara would foolishly have lost _all_ self-control, or _he_ would have been dragged into the fight. It was bad enough that Saito had looked amused when he _did_ hold Sagara back from foolishly attacking Saito, saying something about protecting the weasel's friends. _Hah, well, he was right; you WERE protecting her friend – _

_STOP._ Aoshi immediately silenced the inner-voice when it started commenting again. _At least until I have a nice, long shower…_he mentally added, knowing that it was useless to hope that the inner-voice – or _voices_ – would stop bothering him for good.

Dropping his sports bag on the floor beside his desk, he stretched his arms out in front of him. He _desperately_ wanted to flop down on his bed, but…he knew it would be better to have a shower first – and thus get out of the sleeveless white t-shirt and baggy, dark-blue shorts that he was wearing. Besides, a shower would _hopefully_ clear up his mind…and make him feel a tad bit better.

He had only just opened his wardrobe, looking for a change of clothes, when he heard the knock on his door. He stared at the closed door, frowning at it. Who could _that_ be? He was hoping that he'd have time to grab a set of clothes together with his towel and rush into the bathroom, without answering the door, but he was forced to stop when he heard the familiar voice call him.

"Aoshi?" Throwing his towel onto his bed, and heaving a large inward sigh, he crossed the room swiftly and opened the door. If he was surprised by the half-worried expression on her face, or the way she was nervously wringing her hands, he did not show it.

"Kamiya-san…" he said, nodding at her. Mrs. Kamiya flashed him a weak smile – at least, she _hoped_ it was a smile.

"Aoshi…" she seemed to be about to say something else, but…she just stopped. The two of them stood where they were, staring at each other for a while.

It was Aoshi who broke the silence – and it wasn't because he was uncomfortable with it, he just wanted to go and have his shower. "Is there something you'd like?" he asked, as politely as he could.

Mrs. Kamiya took a deep breath. She _really_ didn't…want to do this…but it was, well, it was now or never. Steeling herself, she looked right into the black-haired teenager's ice-blue eyes, trying to push aside memories of someone _else's_ similar eyes…although they were usually alight with amusement. "I…I need to talk to you, Aoshi," she said, wondering how she managed to keep her voice steady, "It's urgent."

Aoshi stared at the lady standing in front of him with the air of someone ready to…go into battle. He racked his brains, trying to remember if he'd done anything wrong, to offend her. _He hadn't, had he?_ "…Now?" he asked. Mrs. Kamiya nodded.

"Yes please," was all that she said.

"…Here?" asked Aoshi, surprised. Mrs. Kamiya nodded again. Not showing any indication if this had surprised or bothered him, he stepped aside, allowing her to walk inside. He watched as she stood uncomfortably in the room that did _not_ show any signs of an 18 year old living in it; there were no posters, no notices…nothing. "You _can_ sit down," he said, after a minute or two. Smiling at him, Mrs. Kamiya sat down on the bed, although she was tensed.

Now a _little_ curious, he headed towards the chair that was by his desk, when Mrs. Kamiya stopped him. "Could you…close the door please?" she asked. Aoshi stopped, staring at her out of thoughtful ice-blue eyes, before shrugging and turning around. Closing the door, he made his way to the chair and sat down, looking at her.

Since she wasn't speaking, and since he just wanted to clear the small doubt he had in his head, he spoke first, again. "I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"

"What?" Mrs. Kamiya realized what he had said, and shook her head, "Oh, no…you didn't do anything of the sort. If anything, _I'm_ the one who did something wrong; something _very_ wrong." Even though the last part was whispered, Aoshi heard it. Leaning back in the chair, he ran a hand through his now slightly longer hair, brushing the long bangs out of his eyes as he did so.

"…………" It seemed as though Mrs. Kamiya had finally decided to start speaking; or so he thought, judging by the way she shifted on the bed and squared her shoulders.

The look she shot Aoshi could only be described as being _pleading_. "Aoshi I…understand that you will probably never talk to me again, after hearing what I have to say – and I don't think I'll ever be able to blame you for it…" she stopped, "but _please_, you _must_ understand that…I had no other choice…alright?"

The first thing that popped into Aoshi's mind was that Mr. Kamiya had somehow kicked up a fuss again, and that he was going to be kicked out of the house…and probably sent somewhere else. If this _was_ the case, he _hoped_ that he would be returned back to his aunt's house…even though it would mean living under the same roof as his _cousin._

"…I…will try and keep that in mind…" he said, dully, just wishing she could hurry up and tell him what was going on.

"And…and will you promise not to interrupt me until I'm finished?"

"…Yes," said Aoshi, hoping they could get on with things now. Mrs. Kamiya took a deep breath.

"When I was younger, I wasn't brought up in the way most children are brought up today; I didn't have much freedom to do anything, whether it be going out for a walk to clear my head or…associating with anyone I wanted…" She sighed heavily, "My family, you see, was very rich. My father was an extremely successful businessman and he had a lot of profit…and he _also_ came from a traditional Japanese family."

She paused, trying to put her sentences together carefully. "And that meant that he only bothered about social-status and wealth…nothing else. Well, in any case, when I was around six, I made a friend. He had just arrived in the district we were living in, although his father had lived there for a long time." Aoshi made no move to interrupt her as she spoke, guessing that it must be _something_ important for her to actually bother to tell _him_. "The…boy's father happened to be an engineer – " Mrs. Kamiya gulped, " – and his father happened to be on the team of engineers that worked for my father."

She smiled, "Regardless of that, the two of us…grew quite close at first, going to the same schools and everything. In fact, when the time came to chose High-Schools, I was upset that I would not get the chance to see my best-friend again; we had become best-friends by that time." She fingered the edge of the blanket on the bed, "Luckily, however, we both ended up going to the same high-school, even though we did not know it until we had moaned about being apart for some time. He wanted to be an engineer too, like his father, and it was known that almost all universities here in Japan had a high-regard for students from Eigamura – especially students who wished to pursue a career in engineering…so it was quite natural that he went there. As for me, well, Eigamura had a really good reputation for a school, and it was a little more expensive than usual schools…so, naturally, my father _had_ to send me there."

Aoshi did not notice the sarcastic tone that had entered the older lady's voice when she spoke about her father. His attention had only been captured when she had mentioned _Eigamura_…his old high-school, and he knew that his father had gone there too. It was _then_ that he remembered one of the conversations he had heard during dinner, while staying at the Kamiya Residence…a conversation that revealed that Mrs. Kamiya had attended Eigamura High-school as well.

_And Otosan wanted to be an engineer too…_ He frowned, although Mrs. Kamiya didn't seem to notice it. _Was this…heading in the direction he suddenly had a gut feeling it was heading in…?_ _Or was it just his…imagination?_

"What was his – " he stopped, remembering he had promised her that he wouldn't interrupt her while she was speaking. Mrs. Kamiya smiled sadly at him, seeming to have guessed what his question would be.

"His name?" she asked, her voice shaking. Aoshi nodded. "…Yuuji; Shinomori…Yuuji."

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

Misao shook her head as she flipped through the channels on TV, while listening to Soujirou who was seated next to her. "I guess it was a good thing that Aoshi stopped Sano," she said, growling mentally as her cheeks felt warm at the mere _mention_ of _his_ name, "But…I _can_ understand why Sano would have got so upset. I mean, it was _just_ a late detention. Saito didn't need to go and make a big deal about it…" She sighed as Soujirou raised his eyebrows at her. "Fine, maybe it _was_ a big deal – for Saito at least – but…did he _really_ have to punch Sano?"

Soujirou shrugged, letting out a long, weary sigh as he did so. "I don't know, Misao," he admitted, rubbing his temples wearily, "I just…I think I'm getting fed up of it all…" Misao quickly tore her attention away from the TV and shot her best-friend a concerned look.

"Sou?"

"…This probably sounds stupid – no, scratch that, it _is_ stupid…" started Soujirou, smiling, "but…I _really_ getting fed up of everything that's going on…" He paused. "And I don't even know _why._"

"What do you mean?" asked Misao, as she knew that the boy seated next to her would _never_ say something like that unless something _was_ seriously wrong.

Soujirou made a face. "I don't know…I mean, nothing that's happening around me affects me – well, except for your injuries…and now Sano's problems with Saito…and, well, _Saito_ himself…and I think – " He stopped when he sensed Misao staring hard at him, and turned around. "Did…I say something wrong?"

Misao shook her head hurriedly. "No, no…" she said, "I'm just trying to figure out how all of that affects you…" Soujirou shot her and incredulous look.

"Misao, what happened to _you_ affects me because you're my _friend_ – my best-friend," he said, "And Sano, Yahiko and everyone else…they're my friends too, aren't they? And then Saito…making those remarks about my family…." He sighed, "Even _Kenshin's_ acting a little weird…" Misao's ears perked up.

"Kenshin?" she asked, "How?"

"I don't know…he just…I really don't know, he just _seems_ a little different to me," said Soujirou, before groaning – something that _really_ surprised Misao. "I guess I just _don't know_ anything anymore…"

Misao placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, now rather worried about her friend. "OK Soujirou, spill the beans; what's _really_ bothering you?"

"What do you mean?" asked Soujirou, still not looking at her. Misao snorted.

"Yeah, fine, maybe those things you mentioned _do_ bother you…but I _know_ you well enough to know that something else triggered _something_ to make you feel so _fed-up_," she said, "And I'd like to know what it is."

Soujirou looked uncharacteristically thoughtful, and waited a while before he answered. "Well…the truth is, Misao, I don't – "

" – If you say _I don't know_ one more time, I swear to god that I _will_ whack you so hard you won't remember _who_ you are," interjected Misao, looking like she _would_ do it too. Soujirou chuckled as he saw the expression on her face. _Misao, Misao, Misao…you'll never change…_

Seeing Misao waiting expectantly for an answer, he shook his head. "Er…well…" he paused, only to be jabbed _hard_ in the side courtesy of Misao's elbow. "Itai, Misao…" he mumbled, as it _was_ true. His side was sore after all the running they had to do at practice, especially since sensei hadn't been there and Saito had taken the practice – _without_ Kenshin to hold him back. "Well…it's just, do you think there's a reason for all the cold-looks that Aoshi-san sends m – " Soujirou broke off in mid-sentence as he saw the tinge of red enter his best-friend's cheeks. He didn't know if _she_ noticed it…but judging by the way she quickly turned away from him, he guessed she _did._

_But…did I say anything that would embarrass her? All I did was mention Aoshi-san's…_His blue-eyes widened as it hit him. Of course…why hadn't it hit him before? When everyone _else_ had been talking about it? Scenes from different conversations were flashing around in his head. Yes…Kaoru…she _had_ been right, as had Megumi and the others. Why hadn't…why hadn't _he_ realized it? _Ano…am I REALLY that naive? _

"S…sorry…" said Misao, regaining control of herself and turning back to him, "Uh…what were you saying? About…about Aoshi?" Soujirou was too busy observing Misao's behaviour to answer her at once.

He gave himself as well-deserved mental-kick. Now that he thought about it…it _was_ quite clear that what Kaoru and Megumi had been saying had not been a joke; Misao _did_ have a huge crush on Aoshi. _And here I was, about to talk about the frosty-looks he sends me. Soujirou no baka. _

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Misao waved a hand in front of his face. "Gomen, Misao…I just…uh, never-mind," he said, the usual smile back on his face. Misao shook her head and waited for him to continue. It soon became quite clear that he wasn't going to.

"Sou! What were you saying?" she asked, getting a little impatient, "Huh? You were saying something about…_cold-looks_ and…Aoshi…" She watched as Soujirou shook his head hurriedly.

"Ahaha…ano, I was just…heh, well, I was just talking about the…uh, the looks he sends Saito…" he stammered, aware of the fact that he wasn't making sense with what he said – and that Misao knew it too.

"He…what?"

"Ah, Misao, look at the time," said Soujirou, glancing at his wrist-watch as he said that, "I _really_ should get going. I have quite a bit of work to do for tomorrow…" He stood up hurriedly, smiling as he saw the scowl form on Misao's face.

"But you only came a while ago!" she protested.

"Yes, but I didn't intend on staying here for very long any way, Misao," explained Soujirou, "I _really_ am busy these days…" He smiled once more at her. "I'll try and drop by tomorrow, Misao – " He stopped when he felt the firm grip on his arm, "Misao…come on, I _do_ have – "

" – No, no, no!" said Misao, stubbornly shaking her head. Not only did she really _want_ the company, she also knew that Soujirou had been about to say something else…about why he was getting fed-up these days, but, for some reason, had changed his mind. And that was strange, as the boy _never_ hid anything from her.

Smiling gently, Soujirou removed his arm from Misao's grasp, "Ja, Misao…" he said, ruffling her hair as she pouted at him, before turning around and walked towards the front door. _Thank-goodness I didn't tell you about Aoshi-san's glares and cold-looks. I wouldn't want your opinion of him to change…especially since you seem to like him._

Misao stared after him, the pout changing into a small frown. What had that been all about? He _was_ hiding something from her; she was sure of it…but…what could it be? Did it, perhaps, have something to do with…Aoshi? But…what would it be?

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

Kenshin stood in front of the grave, the expression on his face one of sorrow. Reaching out, he touched the smooth surface of the tombstone and let out a heavy, burdened sigh – something you _rarely_ heard from Himura Kenshin. The sky around him was dark…and the wind that blew across the cemetery was cold, but he didn't care much about it.

"I…I'm back, Tomoe…" he said, softly. He raised his hand unconsciously to his cheek; touching the cross-shaped scar that had been practically carved on it. He gave the grave a sad smile. "I survived that night with just this scar…and a leg-injury…but you…" he swallowed, "you passed away, and it was because of me…" He was silent for a while after that, as he thought about what his sensei had told him. He had to admit that Hiko Seijiro had been right; he felt a little bit better after telling him what had happened. Not that it meant he blamed himself any less…he just felt a little bit at ease.

He dropped his hand, away from his cheek, "I wish I could bring you other visitors, apart from just myself, but…I can't," he said, looking at the grave, "I know someone who would _want_ to come here; she even reminds me of you sometimes, although most of the time she's a refreshingly different person. You…would have liked her, Tomoe…" He smiled sadly again. _If only you were here…_

"_What_ are _you_ doing _here?_" Kenshin spun around as he heard the spiteful hiss from behind him. His violet eyes widened when he saw the tall, pale-haired man standing behind, glaring at him out of eyes full of loathing.

"Enishi…!" The two men stayed where they were, one glaring and the other one simply staring. Trying to look anyway but into the blue-eyes full of hatred, Kenshin noticed the flowers and the incense that the younger man had in his hands. "I see you brought her favourite flowers…" he said, smiling softly.

"Why would _you_ care?" hissed Enishi, venom practically _dripping_ from his voice. "I thought I told you never to come here again! I thought I told you to stay _away_ from Neesan's grave…"

"Enishi, I – "

" – _No!_ I _don't_ want to here anything from _you!_" snapped Enishi, "You…you _killed_ her! Isn't that _enough!_ _Why_ must you keep on bothering her dead spirit by visiting this grave?" He glowered at the red-haired man, "Why _must_ you keep bothering _me?_"

Kenshin shook his head hurriedly. "Enishi, please, listen to me; if I knew what was going to happen, I wouldn't have – "

"I said I DON'T want to hear any of your pitiful excuses!" yelled Enishi, "I TOLD you that two years ago!" He lowered his head, "Please, in the name of _humanity_, just…leave…" Kenshin stared at the younger boy, a saddened expression on his face as he did so. It seemed that the past two years hadn't done much to reduce the boy's hatred towards him; and he could understand that. He wouldn't have forgiven himself either, if it had been _his_ sister.

With a last sad look at the grave, Kenshin turned his back on it. "I'll…see you around, Enishi…" he whispered, before walking away. _I'm sorry I killed your sister…and for the pain it caused you…_

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

Kaoru fought the urge to bury her face in her hands as she recalled the events that had taken earlier on that day. She just _couldn't_ believe that _Saito Hajime_ had to be the one who found her notebook. Well, fine, it _was_ pretty stupid of her to write down stuff like…_that_ in her notebook…but she had only done it because she tended to forget things often!

And…if Saito _had_ been telling the truth about points 1 and 2…then it meant that Aoshi knew. She groaned aloud, glad that she was alone in her room. Aoshi-san _knew_ that Misao had a _huge_ crush on him. And – oh god – he knew what she had planned on doing; getting the two of them together!

_Mou…for ONCE in my LIFE why can't things work the way I planned? WHY did I even have that notebook in my bag in the first place?_ And it didn't help when Saito knew about her…her feelings for…for Kenshin.

"Kaoru-chan no baka! It's your fault! Misao's going to _kill_ you when she finds out what has happened!" she muttered, groaning again. She only hoped that the sudden discovery didn't ruin whatever feelings Aoshi had towards Misao. If _that_ were to happen…well, she'd do Misao a favour and killed herself.

Feeling hungry all of a sudden, she looked up, pushing her embarrassed thoughts out of her head. A stroll into the kitchen and a small snack would _surely_ help her stop thinking about the earlier events. Standing up, she opened her room door and walked out into the corridor. For a moment, she wondered whether Aoshi would be hungry too, but quickly decided that it was too bad if he was, as she was _not_ going to face him that day…especially _not_ after that embarrassing scene during the last few minutes of break.

Turning hurriedly, she headed for the stairs, her stomach growling at her to hurry up.

* * *

Aoshi stared. That was all that he could do; stare. He watched Mrs. Kamiya tuck a strand of black hair behind her ear, and unconsciously noticed that her hand was shivering slightly. An awkward silence had settled between them.

"I…didn't have a choice, Aoshi. My father, he – he was strict…and he didn't like it when he wasn't listened to…" Mrs. Kamiya paused, rubbing her eyes as she did so, "He threatened to…to do something to Yuuji…" She sighed heavily. "In…any case, Yuuji agreed that we should break our…relationship off, not wanting to hurt me by making…making Otosama mad at me, and I agreed because…I didn't want Yuuji to get hurt because of me."

She didn't dare look at Aoshi as she said the next bit. "What we didn't know – not me, not Yuuji, not Otosama or Okasan – was that…I…I was pregnant…" Aoshi had a feeling he knew what she was going to say even before she said it, and a part of him screamed inside, begging Mrs. Kamiya to stop her story, begging her to just stop, period. "…Pregnant…with Yuuji's child…"

Aoshi's hands were clenched into fists as he eyed the black-haired lady out of ice-blue eyes. He wasn't aware of the fact that he had turned pale. And, quite honestly, he didn't care. His mind felt as though…it was on overdrive…and – what was that tight feeling in his chest? That feeling that made it seem as though…something was going to explode inside him soon?

"Aoshi – " Mrs. Kamiya thought better of what she had been about to ask him when she saw the frosty look he sent her. Fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes, she continued with her story. _Stay calm, Kaeri…you knew that this would happen; you knew he would reject you afterwards…you decided that you had to take that risk…_ "When my parents found out, my father was _furious_. I thought that my father would either disown me and throw me onto the streets…or otherwise ask me to have an abortion or something…but, coming from such a traditional family, abortion was _completely_ out of the question." She paused, "Yuuji was informed, as I was _told_ that I would not be allowed to keep the child, to keep you, because I was supposed to…marry someone else…"

Aoshi didn't _want_ to listen to what Mrs. Kamiya was telling him. He just wanted to…clamp his hands over his ears…or better, yet, get up and run out of the room, and keep running until he felt a bit better. His _entire_ past was…just being told to him…making him discover that he had been living a…lie. Why? _Why did this have to happen? Why did she have to spoil everything by telling me?_

"My father told Mr. Kamiya and…Hisashi that he was sending me abroad for a year, to stay with my cousins, and they believed it. Only, in reality, I was in Kanagawa, practically _hiding_ during the…nine months. When my child – _our_ child – was born…Yuuji was the one who was by my side. It wasn't my mother, my father or anyone else that I knew of; it was Yuuji…and Kazuko…" Mrs. Kamiya's voice broke, "I couldn't stay with my child _or_ Yuuji for long; I got a message saying that my father expected me back."

She bit back the sob that was threatening to come out of her mouth, "Kazuko…had already given birth to her son at that time…and when Yuuji told me that I _should_ go back…I tried telling him that a newborn child _needed_ his mother, but he…he just shook his head and told me that he would manage. I…I returned to my parents…and a year later…I married Hisashi. A year after _that_…Kaoru was born…"

She didn't bother to hide her tears when she turned to Aoshi again, seeing the…expression on his face, or rather, in his eyes. "Aoshi, _please_, I know I _don't_ deserve it, but _please_, forgive me…" She bit her lips, preventing sobs from leaking out, "I…I wasn't able to be there for you…or for Yuuji and – "

" – _Stop it._" Her deep blue eyes widened when she heard the tone of his voice.

"Aoshi – "

" – _I said stop it,_" repeated Aoshi, his whole body rigid. "How…_could_ you?" His voice was low, even threatening, as he glared at Mrs. Kamiya – as he…glared at his…mother.

"Please, Aoshi, you have to – "

" – All my life…I thought…my _mother_ was _dead_," Aoshi sounded as though he was speaking through gritted teeth, "And now…_now_…I learn that she's been _alive_ for the past 18 years…living a different life, with different people?" Mrs. Kamiya shook her head as a sob _did_ manage to escape from her pursed lips.

"I didn't _enjoy_ the fact that I had to – "

" – _Fine,_ you might not have cared about…me, but what about Otosan? Didn't he mean _anything_ to you at all?" Mrs. Kamiya could tell from the tremors in his voice that…this onslaught would continue for a while, or rather, that it would continue for as long as it took for him to…get rid of the sudden emotions that he was feeling…the pain he was going through.

"I _cared_ about Yuuji!" she said, her voice hoarse, "I _loved_ him – I still do! I did what I did, thinking it would be better for him! Do you think I wanted to end up marrying him and then have my father do something to him? Do _you?_"

"How am _I_ supposed to know? _You're_ the one who made all these 'decisions' after all."

"I – " She was interrupted by the quick knock on the room door. Aoshi tore his gaze away from Mrs. Ka – from his moth – from the lady seated on his bed, and turned towards the door. The question hit him just then; did Kaoru or Mr. Kamiya know about…_this?_ He glanced back at Mrs. – at the lady, to see her shaking her head. "No-one…no-one knows. I plan on telling Kaoru but – "

"Okasan? Are you in there?" Mrs. Kamiya's eyes widened when she heard her daughter's voice, and she stood up to answer the door when Aoshi shook his head, moving towards the door.

Kaoru smiled at him when he opened the door, although he was quick to notice the slight trace of worry in her eyes. "Aoshi-san…I'm…sorry if I'm disturbing you, but…is Okasan – Okasan, there you are!" Kaoru stepped into the room, the worried expression on her face again.

"Kaoru." Mrs. Kamiya wiped her eyes hurriedly, "What is it?"

"Otosan just got home and he – he's in a _really_ bad mood for some reason! Didn't you _hear_ him slamming the door behind him!" Kaoru shivered, "I've _never_ seen him this angry, Okasan…but, he was looking for you…so I came here to tell you that." She frowned, "I don't know _why_ he's looking for you though…I – "

Aoshi stiffened as he sensed another presence close by and as he turned his eyes away from Kaoru and…_her_ mother. He flinched when he saw Mr. Kamiya standing in the opened doorway of his room. It wasn't the man's mere _presence_ that made him flinch – even though he had grown to dislike the man more as _Kaoru's _mother had told him her story – it was the look of complete _rage_ on his face.

"Hisashi?" called Mrs. Kamiya, not really liking the look on her husband's face, "Hisashi, what's wrong?" Mr. Kamiya stepped into the room, glaring at his wife. Kaoru stared wide-eyed at him. _What was – _

"What's wrong! _What's wrong?_ I'll tell you what's wrong! The fact that my wife was not the sweet, innocent, well-bred woman I thought she was!" yelled Mr. Kamiya.

"Hisashi – "

" – You probably thought you were being really clever, didn't you? Hiding the _truth_ from everyone?" hissed Mr. Kamiya, interrupting her, "And, oh god! Those _photos…_the _Yuuji_ in those pictures was _just_ a _friend_ was he, Kaeri!" Mrs. Kamiya paled. Kaoru looked from her mother to her father, confused.

"Otosan, what's – "

" – He was so much of a _normal friend_ that he _fathered_ your _first child_ did he?" He gestured at Kaoru, "No, and I'm _not_ talking about _her_. Kaoru's our _legitimate _child – well, _my_ legitimate child." Aoshi's gaze landed on Kaoru, and…he was not surprised to find himself feel sorry for her. He himself had _just_ found out about…_it_…he could just imagine what _she_ was going through.

"Otosan, what are you talking about?" asked Kaoru, not looking too pleased at her father. She turned to her mother, "Okasan, what's wrong with Otosan? Why's…why is he saying all of these…things? They don't even make sense…"

"They don't make sense, Kaoru?" yelled Mr. Kamiya, "Does the fact that _Aoshi_ is your…_mother's_ first-child make sense to you? Does it make _sense_ to you that the reason why you and…and _Aoshi_ look somewhat _alike_ is because the two of you share the _same_ _mother?_"

The silence in the room was deafening. Mrs. Kamiya stood up as she saw her daughter trembling – without realizing that she herself was trembling. "Kaoru – "

" – It's a lie…" whispered Kaoru, her eyes flitting from her father, to Aoshi and finally to her mother, "It's a lie…isn't it?"

"Kaoru please – "

" – This bastard and his father…_ruined _our family!" yelled Mr. Kamiya.

"Hisashi _stop it_," said Mrs. Kamiya, her voice firm, "None of this is Aoshi's _or_ his – Aoshi!" Without a word to anyone, Aoshi turned around and, pushing roughly past Mr. Kamiya, walked outside, his face expressionless though his eyes were smoldering in their iciness. "Kaoru, please, go to your room."

"What?" asked Kaoru, sounding dazed, "No…I want to find out – "

" – _Kaoru_, please, listen to me and go to your room," repeated Mrs. Kamiya.

"Okasan – "

"I will tell you everything you need to know, Kaoru," said Mrs. Kamiya, a steely note entering her voice, "But right now I…need to talk to your father. Please, go to your room."

"You have no right to tell Kaoru _anything_ any more, Kaeri," said Mr. Kamiya, "You're not fit to be her – "

"_Kaoru, _I _told_ you – " Mrs. Kamiya shot her trembling daughter a pleading glance. Still looking rather dazed, Kaoru nodded at no-one in particular and walked out of the room, slamming _her_ room door shut behind her. Relieved, Mrs. Kamiya turned to the irate man standing before her, an enraged expression still on his face. "Hisashi – "

"I have nothing more to say to you," was her husband's acid comment before he glowered at her once more, before turning on his heel and stomping away – probably to their room.

Suddenly feeling her knees weaken, she moved backwards and sank back down onto the bed, trembling. Her deep blue eyes filled with tears once more. This was not supposed to happen. This was _not_ how things were supposed to go. Hisashi…was _not_ supposed to know before she told him…and Kaoru…_Oh god, what have I done?_ _What have I done to my…family?_

* * *

**A/N**

(Lets out a long breath) whew…writing that bit…man, it was _hard!_ Something tells me that this chapter was shorter than its predecessors…but I really wanted to end it with everyone finding out. I'm glad that I managed to write that bit out. Now I just have to focus on the _after-effects_ of this sudden revelation of truth!

Well…I hope you all liked this! Reviews will be gladly accepted!

See ya!

Siriusgirl1


	20. Developments?

**A/N**

HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone! Aoshi and Misao send their _best_ wishes – and wish to thank you all for having faith in the author of this fic – although Saito just snorted, smirked, and stuffed a cigarette in his mouth, mumbling something about '_idiots and wasting time.'_

Heh…anyways, I just want to say that I'm REALLY sorry…but I do not think I can keep my promise about finishing this fic this year. # Bursts into tears # I tried, I _really_ did! But…as it turns out, _someone_ seems to hate me enough. Why? Well, on the last night of 2005, I'm supposed to be in bed, taking medicine. Lovely, isn't it?

Well, sorry if the author's note is a bit rushed, but I'm feeling extremely drowsy and my bed and pillow suddenly seem _so_ inviting…Thanks once more to everyone who reviewed, and I hope this chapter meets your expectations!

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: Developments?**

Megumi walked in through the school gates and did a quick scan around her, trying to see whether any one of her _friends_ were already there. Her search produced no results, and for once, she wasn't surprised. Sano _always_ came late – if not _after_ the start-of-school bell rang, then seconds _before –_ Kenshin could usually be seen wandering around the 3rd year classrooms, talking to anyone and everyone without feeling uncomfortable, Yahiko was usually half-asleep at this time in the morning, Kaoru usually went up to her class and chatted to one of her other friends there, and Soujirou, she was willing to bet, was _always_ the first person in class – or on the school premises, she was willing to bet.

Sighing inwardly and smiling at one of the girls in her class who was waving at her, she continued to walk forward, deciding that she might as well just go upstairs to her _own_ class, when a familiar figure caught her attention, stopping her. A more focused look told her that it _was_ Seta Soujirou who was leaning against one of the concrete pillars and talking to some boy or the other. Changing her course, she hurried over to him, a soft smile on her face – the soft smile that she always had for him. Was it _her_ fault that he was so darn _cute?_ _Anyone_ would feel slightly protective of him…although she knew there was no need to do that.

"Soujirou," she said, stopping by his side, "Ohayo." Soujirou looked up and flashed her a smile.

"Ohayo, Megumi," he said, before he turned back to the boy he was talking to when he said something and excused himself. Megumi raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"What was that all about?" she asked. Soujirou sighed.

"That was Shihiro-san," he mumbled, "He said he's planning on quitting the athletics team." Megumi's eyes widened. Quitting the – _wow…so people are actually starting to make a move against the wolf's backside, are they?_

"Is he the _only_ one?" she asked, cautiously. Soujirou nodded.

"For now, yes," he said, "…I tried to convince him, saying that after the tournament at _least_, we'll get a new captain…but he said he didn't think he'd be able to handle things until then…" He ran a hand through his hair, "Mou…things are just getting _worse_," he mumbled, "And…I'm even _more_ fed-up than before…"

Megumi looked sharply at him. "Fed-up?" she echoed, "Soujirou?" The younger boy looked up startled at the fact that she had heard him.

"Nothing," he said hurriedly, "It was nothing; really." Megumi raised her eyebrows at him, not looking away from his face.

"Really?" she asked, "Seta Soujirou, I'm _sure_ you've heard from _someone_ before that you _can't_ lie…?"

"Hai," said Soujirou, smiling, "You told me that a few months ago…" He sighed when he saw the serious expression on the girl's face _stay_ on her face. "Why do I have the feeling that I've had this conversation before?" he muttered to himself, before sighing. "Megumi, if I…asked you a question…would you give me an _honest_ answer?"

_Now_ Megumi was curious. It wasn't often that the naïve boy standing in front of her came to _her_ for answers – not that she meant it in a bad way – and it wasn't often that he _had_ questions that…sounded as perplexing as he _made_ them sound. "Of course," she said, "if, that is, I know what you're talking about." She flashed him her famous _foxy_ smile, "And I can't promise you that you'll _like_ my honest answer…but you know that don't you?"

Soujirou nodded, even though his brows were slightly furrowed. "Why…why does Aoshi-san dislike me?" Whatever _else_ Megumi had been expecting, it _certainly_ hadn't been _that_.

"…Could you…repeat that please?" she asked, slowly, thinking that she had probably misheard the question. Soujirou shot her a surprised glance before nodding.

"Why does Aoshi-san seem to dislike me…so much?" he asked. Megumi nodded at him to show that she understood the question…and that she was thinking about it; which she _was_ doing. In reality, she was surprised. _Why is he asking this question? Heck, why is he asking ME this question? Did…something happen? _An amused smile found itself on her face. _Oh, has our dear naïve Soujirou…become not-so-naïve after all?_

Soujirou watched the smile form on his friend's face and wondered whether he should be worried or not. From associating with Kaoru, he had learned that if a girl – much less one of _these_ girls – smiled like that, _while_ seeming to be deep in thought…it meant trouble; for _someone._ Nevertheless, he kept silent; he just wanted an answer.

Megumi exhaled. "OK…bear in mind that this is an _honest_ answer, and that it's my opinion, alright?" Soujirou nodded. "Soujirou, you know that…well, that Misao has a crush on Aoshi, right?" Soujirou nodded. _Do I know that…_ "And do you also know that Aoshi _does_ have feelings for her?" Soujirou shook his head hurriedly.

"He – he _does?_" he asked, his blue-eyes widening. Megumi nodded, not quite able to decipher the expression that had found itself onto the younger boy's face.

"Yes, he does; Kaoru figured it out and…well, his behaviour towards you just shows how correct she was," she said. She smiled as she saw the puzzled expression on the boy's face.

"But…Megumi, I don't understand," said Soujirou, slowly, "If he likes Misao…_and_ Misao likes him…why would he…dislike _me_?"

"Aoshi doesn't know that Misao likes him, and _she_ doesn't know that he likes her," said Megumi, "Well, we can't say for _sure_ that Aoshi likes Misao…but he _definitely_ feels something for her." She paused. "OK, now, you're Misao's best-friend aren't you?" Soujirou nodded. "Which means you're _really_ close to her…and that you know practically _everything _about her, right?"

"Well…I…_think_ I do…"

"_We_ – Ken-san, Sano, Yahiko, Kaoru and I – know that there's nothing going on between you and Misao," continued Megumi, "In the sense, that you don't like each other – "

Soujirou's eyes widened, " – But…I _do_ like Misao…very much."

"Oh, yes, I know you do, but…I'm talking about a _different_ kind of 'liking'…" said Megumi, trying to keep herself from chuckling, "Soujirou do you _love_ Misao?" Soujirou took a minute to answer as he tilted his head to a side, thinking. Megumi didn't worry about the time that he took to answer her; she _knew_ that the cute boy had no romantic feelings towards Misao. When he next looked at her and she saw the embarrassed flush on his cheeks, she couldn't help _but_ worry. _No…I'm just imagining things…he doesn't…he can't…no, he can't have feelings for Misao!_

"I love her – "

" – _W…what?_"

" – in the sense, I've practically _grown-up_ with her…and she's the first person I met who actually…took the time to _talk_ to me…and - " Soujirou paused, "Yes, I _would_ say that I love her…"

Megumi did her best to keep herself together. _No, this was NOT happening._ _This COULDN'T_ _be happening. Then…why WAS it happening?_ "You…you love Misao…?"

Soujirou nodded, smiling, "Hai!" he paused when he saw the funny expression on Megumi's face, "…Is something wrong?"

"You…love Misao…"

"Hai."

"You _love_ Misao…" muttered Megumi, her eyes wide, "You…have…romantic feelings towards…Misao…"

"Romantic feelings?" Soujirou looked lost, "What _are_ you talking about, Megumi? I just said that I love Misao." A _sliver_ of hope glimmered in Megumi's mind as she looked at the confused boy. _Could it be…?_

"You _don't_ have romantic feelings towards Misao?" she asked, slowly. Soujirou shook his head hurriedly.

"No!"

"You _don't_ have romantic feelings for her…but you still love her…?"

"Uh, yes…"

"_How _can you _love_ someone and _not_ have – " Megumi started shaking the poor boy – _hard._ "Let's get this straight; you have _no_ romantic feelings for her?"

"N – No…" said Soujirou, sweat-dropping as the older girl continued to shake him.

"But you still love her?"

"Y – yes…" Soujirou's eyes were soon becoming swirls on his face.

"Whenever you see her, you don't feel like…wrapping your arms around her and kissing her? You…don't feel the _need_ to have any contact with her? Your…your _heart_ doesn't start racing when you see her? You _don't_ get tongue-tied when she's around?"

"…M-Megumi…what…what are you saying?" gasped Soujirou, as Megumi released him – realizing that he was getting dizzy. "I…I _don't!_ I'm not in…_love_ with Misao! I just love her!" Megumi quirked an eyebrow. _Oh, yeah Soujirou, THAT sure explains a LOT. You're NOT in love with her…you just LOVE her._

"You _don't_ have – "

" – Megumi, please, I am NOT _in love_ with Misao. I just love her for the person she is…and for the things she does," said Soujirou, seeming to have realized what Megumi had been implying, "How can…how can I be _in love_ with my best-friend?"

Megumi would have hugged the boy in relief; but well, this was _her_…and she didn't do those kinds of things. "In the future, Soujirou, just…_don't_ say that you love her. Stick to the 'like' bit, OK? It just gets _really_ confusing…" She shook her head, "Anyway, what were we talking about?" She nodded, "Ah yes, Aoshi. Well, Aoshi thinks that you and Misao are _in love_ – as you put it – and…I'm afraid that the cold treatment you receive from him is because he's jealous of what you and Misao have."

"So…he wants to be her friend too?"

"SOUJIROU!"

* * *

**A little while later:**

Saito was walking down the corridor leading away from the science-labs. He didn't need to refer his time-table to know that he was free for the next hour. As he walked at his own, steady pace, his mind wandered back to what his mother had asked him about Aoshi the day before. He wouldn't usually be thinking about such things…but…something inside him told him that he should have told his mother that Aoshi never _had_ anything for Kamiya Kaoru in the first place. He smirked; _unless he would want to risk the jealousy of Himura, that is. _And speaking of Aoshi…he hadn't seen the kid in school the past two days. Maybe he was ill…or maybe something _else_ was up? He shook his head hurriedly. No, the kid was probably ill.

As he rounded the corner he came to a stop when he heard a muffled sob. He didn't stop because he was _concerned_ about whoever it was that was crying…he did it only because he was surprised that someone would _actually_ cry in school. Hearing a few more sobs, he made his way in the direction they were coming from, and stopped short when he saw the seated figure in the corridor that led to the supplies' room.

What made him quirk a thin, black eyebrow was the fact that it was _Kamiya Kaoru_ who was crying. Now why would _he_ care about Kamiya Kaoru? He shrugged…that was true. He had nothing to do with – he stopped short when he saw something fall out of the girl's hands. It was a photo-frame. He winced as he heard the glass of the frame crack, but the girl didn't seem to mind. She just stared down at the picture, tears brimming in her eyes.

Instinct made him step back into the _main_ corridor, so that he wouldn't be seen, as the girl stood up hurriedly, scooping the photo with her. He watched as she quickly crossed over to the waste-paper basket and stare at the picture once more, before opening it and dropping it inside, on top of the crumpled pieces of writing-paper that had probably been dumped there by a lab assistant.

"Why did you lie to Otosan? To _me_, Okasan?" he heard her whisper, before she furiously scrubbed at her eyes and ran down the hall, no doubt just realizing that she was late for a class. Saito stared after her for a minute, before swiftly moving over to the waste-paper basket. Lifting its lid up, he picked the discarded photo from where it had been dropped onto the other sheets of paper there.

The picture showed a brown-haired rather _stern_ looking man with glasses standing with his arm around a…pretty black-haired lady. In the middle, smiling happily at the camera was a familiar looking black-haired girl. _Kamiya Kaoru. _His eyes flitted back to the lady who was standing beside Kaoru, and he nodded unconsciously. Yes, she _did_ look a lot like Kaoru…and something about her cheek-bones…reminded him distinctly of his cousin.

_So this is the famous Kamiya Kaeri…who should have been married to Uncle Yuuji. _He frowned. _And this is…Aoshi's mother._ His thoughts went back to the girl who had thrown the photograph. She had seemed really upset. His frown deepened. Had…something happened? Frowning, and making up his mind immediately, he carefully brushed off the broken fragments of glass and extracted the picture, before folding it and slipping it into his shirt-pocket.

He'd have to ask Aoshi about this sometime, if there was anyone who would know if something had happened at the Kamiya residence, it would be him. _No-one may care, but I think I should know what's going on over there…I should be keeping an 'eye' out on my 'dear' cousin, shouldn't I? _

* * *

**Later:**

Sano observed Soujirou out of the corner of his eye, a thoughtful expression on his face as he did so, before turning to look at Megumi who was occasionally shooting the boy a quick glance or two. "Something wrong, kitsune?" he winced as he was whacked on the back of the head by a scowling Megumi.

"_Don't_ call me that," she hissed, before shaking her head, "I should be asking _you_ that, with that huge bruise on your face." Sano gulped suddenly. "Don't bother giving me an explanation; Soujirou told me what happened." Megumi's glare increased, "And I'd just like to say what the _hell_ did you expect? With the whole detention thing?"

"_Save it_ Kitsune," grumbled Sano, "I _know_; I've heard the _same_ thing from Kenshin too." Megumi huffed and turned her attention back to Soujirou who was, by now, decidedly uncomfortable with her gazing. _She_ was just glad that she had managed to explain to the blue-eyed boy _why_ Aoshi continued to glare at him, and how it wasn't because he had _done _anything to make him hate him; it was just plain jealousy. Of course, it had taken Soujirou a while to figure out _why_ he was jealous…and she _was_ surprised that she hadn't killed him in the process of explaining…but, somehow or the other, he got the point. _Cute though he is I hope I NEVER have to explain something like this to him again. It's just…too draining…_

Her attention was caught when Kenshin neared the table, giving them his usual smile although he had a rather pensive expression on his face as he sat down and made no move to open his tray of food. "Ken-san, something wrong?" she asked.

"I don't know, Megumi…" said Kenshin, quietly, "but…well, I think that something's wrong with Aoshi." Sano looked up immediately.

"With Aoshi?" he echoed, "_Pray_ tell what it is, Kenshin." He snorted, "It _surely_ can't be _emotional_ problems; the guy practically has _no_ emotions – no offence to Misao, of course." Soujirou shot him a disapproving glance, surprised that _Sano_ was saying that; Sano who had been teasing Aoshi along with everyone else.

"Maybe he's ill," he suggested, which _was_ a sensible opinion, as Aoshi hadn't come to school for the last two days. Neither had Kaoru, for that matter. "Isn't he coming to have break with us?" Kenshin shook his head.

"I saw him hurry out of class once it was over," he said, "I don't know _where_ he went."

"Yeah? Well, Aoshi's not the _only_ one who's acting weird," said Yahiko, sitting up straight, "Kaoru's been out of it for the whole day." _That_ caught Kenshin's attention.

"Kaoru? Do…you know what's wrong?" he asked, concerned, "Maybe she's sick? I mean, she didn't come to school for the past two days, so maybe she _is_ sick…"

Soujirou shook his head, "No, I don't think she is," he paused, "I…got the impression that she was upset about something." He looked at Yahiko, "She _did_ look like she had been crying a lot when she entered class this morning."

"And what was even more surprising was that _she_ was late," added Yahiko, "I mean, Kaoru _never_ gets late."

"What could be the matter then?" asked Megumi, "Something…at home, perhaps?" Kenshin frowned, before shaking his head.

"No, that family seems really close…" he mused, "I don't _think_ that something could have happened there…" He looked up, his violet eyes full of worry, "I hope…nothing's wrong…"

"Nah, she'd tell us if – "

" – Hang on, you said Aoshi's been acting weird too, Kenshin?" interrupted Sano. Kenshin nodded. "Could something have happened between…_them?_ I mean, they _both _haven't turned up in school the past two days…and when they _do _turn up, they're act weird." There was a small silence as everyone looked gravely at each other.

Megumi was the first to break the silence, "No…no, that can't be…" she said, slowly, "I mean, well…Kaoru's always been in love with Kenshin…and Aoshi – well, isn't he – "

" – In love with Misao?" finished Yahiko.

"Yeah, but we don't know for _sure_ whether Aoshi's _in love_ with Misao, do we? We haven't heard any kind of confession from _him_, have we?" asked Sano. Soujirou glanced hurriedly at Megumi.

"But…you all said…that Aoshi-san _is _in love with Misao…" he said, beginning to look confused.

"Yes, Soujirou, that _is_ the case," said Megumi hurriedly, not wanting to have explained everything to him that morning for nothing, "He is – " she glared at Sano, " – and he just needs a bit of help to confess that to Misao herself."

Sano returned Megumi's glare. "Yeah? Well I dunno…I think that there's something _really_ suspicious going on with those two. Maybe Kaoru – "

" – Maybe Kaoru what?" Sano looked up when he heard the quiet voice. He started to smile when he saw who had interrupted him, but stopped in mid-sentence when he saw her properly.

"K – Kaoru?" he spluttered, staring at her. The pale-faced, teary-eyed, sniffing girl sat down, glancing briefly at him.

"What?" she mumbled, staring at her tray of food. There was an uncomfortable silence surrounding the table as everyone stared at the…different girl seated with them, knowing that it was wrong to do so, but not being able to stop themselves. Once again, Megumi was the first to break it.

"Did you…get any sleep yesterday, Kaoru?" she asked, kindly – surprising even herself. Kaoru meekly shook her head, biting her lip as she did so.

"No." There was another uncomfortable silence, and this time, Kaoru actually regretted coming to school. The past two days, she had stayed at home being unable to gather herself together to attend school. She had returned that day only because she didn't even want to spend a mere second at home. Of course, while she had been at home she had avoided everyone in her whole family. She hadn't spoken much to her mother, _or_ to her father. And Aoshi…well, he had been avoiding her. She frowned, not noticing that her friends were watching her. Ever-since her mother had told her about…about her past, and about _who exactly_ Aoshi was, her life had seemed surreal. It was like she _was_ alive…but she wasn't conscious of days passing. Maybe that had been because she had locked herself up in her room, crying heavily…but whatever it was, that was what it felt like.

If _she_ was going through _that_…she could just _imagine_ what Aoshi had to be going through. All his life he had thought that his mother was dead…and – she blinked back tears – when his father had died, he had been orphaned and brought to stay with people he did not know at all; except for the fact that _one_ of them was…was his mother and the other his…step-sister. She really thought it was unfair of Aoshi to avoid her. It wasn't like…she blamed _him_ for what happened. Well, come to think of it, she didn't know _who_ to blame. Her grandfather perhaps? Or maybe even her mother and Aoshi's father? Or _her_ father?

Her eyes darkened. Or _maybe_ she should blame _Saito Hajime_. Even when her friends had told her about what kind of a person he was, she…well, she hadn't had _too much_ against him and she had always thought that it was because he had never done anything to _her._ But…after her mother had told her that Aoshi's aunt…had been informed by _her_ son that she and Aoshi were…in a relationship…that was just unforgivable. And it wasn't because he had lied, oh no, but it was that _lie_ of his that had prompted her mother to tell Aoshi about the _truth_…and that had caused everything to happen. _I hate you, Saito! I really do!_

She didn't notice the worried glances that her friends were sending her way; particularly Kenshin. A minute later, leaving her tray, untouched, on the table, she stood up, excusing herself. She needed to be alone…or rather, she needed to talk to someone. _Anyone_. She just needed to get it all off her chest and…and then think rationally about…about what had apparently happened.

* * *

**Meanwhile:**

A cool breeze blew around him, ruffling his black hair, but he did nothing to brush the long bangs out of his eyes. He simply stared ahead of him, not looking at the clean path that was there. His thoughts were far away. Feeling the throbbing in his head starting again, he let out a short sigh before he adjusted his position on the steps of the small cabin-like building (where the school's sports equipment was stored) so that he was leaning against the large door, resting his head and back against it.

_The boy's father happened to be an engineer – and his father happened to be on the team of engineers that worked…for my father…_ He scowled, remembering all too clearly the look that had been on Mrs. K…no, on _her_ face when she had told him about her 'best-friend.' He couldn't help but snort. _Yeah…he was JUST her best-friend…her best-friend who…who – _

He stopped, shaking his head violently as he felt the familiar tight feeling in his chest…and as the all too familiar lump made its presence known in his throat. He couldn't afford to give in to the urging of his emotionally exhausted mind. He couldn't. He…just couldn't. Especially not _here_, in school.

"Oh, this _is_ a surprise. I haven't seen _you_ here for a _long_ time." He sat up straight, startled that he hadn't even heard anyone approach him. As he stared ahead of him, his ice-blue eyes remained as impassive as they could when they looked into the amber eyes of his cousin.

"…………" without saying anything – he really had nothing to say anyway – he flopped back, so he was leaning against the door once more, one of his knees drawn with an arm resting on it, and his other leg stretched out in front of him. Of _all_ the people he had to meet; it just _had_ to be his cousin.

"Cat got your tongue?" asked Saito, smirking as he observed the way Aoshi flopped back weakly, although he knew that that was not how the male usually behaved. Shrugging the thought out of his head, he moved forward, closer to the cabin and looked at his cousin again, "I haven't seen you in – " He could not help the fact that he had stopped in mid-sentence, _or_ that he was _almost_ gaping at his cousin. Or rather, at the seated male who resembled his cousin. _What the bloody hell?_

The last time _he_ had checked, Shinomori Aoshi did not look like a vampire who _desperately_ needed some form of blood if he was to keep himself alive. The last time _he_ had checked, Shinomori Aoshi did not look like he had gotten lost in the wilderness somewhere – the only explanation for his unkempt appearance. And…the last time he had checked Shinomori Aoshi did _not_ look like he was on the verge of a breakdown.

Aoshi remained silent, staring ahead of him. He knew that his cousin was taking in his appearance and that annoyed him. He knew that he didn't look his best – hell, he guessed that he looked pretty weak – and he didn't want Saito of all people to see him that way. _God_ only knew the last he'd hear of it.

"You _do_ realize that you _have_ looked better before, don't you?" asked Saito, when he had finally recovered from his initial shock at seeing his cousin. Aoshi didn't reply. He didn't even bother to show that he had heard him. "Where've you been the past two days? You _do_ realize that we've only got four more days for the tournament, don't you?"

"Tournament?" asked Aoshi, his voice uncharacteristically hoarse, "What tournament?" Saito allowed the momentary silence to answer Aoshi's stupidly asked question. "…_That_ tournament…" murmured the ice-blue eyed boy, "…I…don't think I'll be able to take part in it…"

"_Oh?_" questioned Saito, his voice gaining a hard edge, "And why not?"

"…I just don't think – "

" – I think the fact that your name has already been written in the entry forms and handed over to the hosts…and the fact that you made a decision you _knew_ you cannot back out of weigh _more_ than you just not _thinking_ you'll be able to take part, don't _you_ think?" interrupted Saito, a serious expression on his face.

Aoshi opened his mouth to argue light-heartedly with him, when he remembered all those times before when Saito had managed to get him frustrated, talking about his…_mother._ That meant that _Saito_ must have known about what he had been told yesterday. Or did he?

"Hey, I want to ask you something…" he said, growling mentally at the hoarseness of his voice. He saw Saito raise an eyebrow at him, before he reached into his shirt pocket and drew something out.

"Actually, I want to ask _you_ something too," said Saito, looking at the photo in his hands. "Has…anything been happening with the Kamiya family?" Aoshi looked sharply at him.

"…….What?"

"Has anything happened at the place you're staying recently?" repeated Saito, wondering whether he should bother to be alarmed with his cousin's strange behaviour. He watched as Aoshi rubbed his left wrist – something Saito knew that he had done since he was a kid…and that he did it whenever he was debating something or the other.

"Why…why do you ask?" asked Aoshi. Inside, his inner-voices were clashing with each other, one telling him to be careful and the other reminding him that this _was_ his cousin after all. Saito leaned forward and handed Aoshi the photo. He watched as Aoshi's eyes scanned the picture, taking in the familiar features. His cousin's eyes widened. The hand that was gripping the picture started trembling slightly. "…Where…did you get this from?"

"The waste-paper basket in the science-block," answered Saito, his eyes fixed on the trembling hand of his cousin's. "That girl…Kamiya Kaoru, she threw it there." He paused, "She was crying when she did that." Saito did _not_ expect what happened next.

"You…knew, didn't you?" asked Aoshi, quietly, "About my – about Kaoru-san's…mother?" Even as he said that, he realized that…he couldn't even call her _Kaoru-san_ anymore. If…they _did_ share the same mother, then she would be his…little sister.

"What does that have to do with anything?" asked Saito, raising his eyebrows, "But, if you _are_ talking about what I _think_ you're talking about, yes, I did know." He sighed heavily. "But I was asked not to…" Saito cocked his head to a side, rummaging in his pocket and pulling out a cigarette. Lighting it, he stuffed it in his mouth, knowing that it annoyed Aoshi and also thinking that he needed a cigarette anyway. As he inhaled a deep breath, bits and pieces of the puzzle he had been thinking about earlier in the day started to fit together.

Aoshi was looking…half-dead, Kamiya Kaoru was obviously upset…and Aoshi had asked him whether he knew about Kamiya Kaeri. Of course; what happened was now quite obvious.

Sighing, he ran a hand through his black hair, impatiently brushing aside the few longs bangs that were tickling his face. "So…you found out." It wasn't a question; it was a statement.

"Found out?" Aoshi snorted, "More like…I was _told_. And _Mr. Kamiya_ found out."

"…When?"

"Two days ago." Saito observed his cousin closely, his face expressionless as he saw his attempt to control the emotions that were being displayed on his face. He was still clutching the photo in his shaking hand. Drawing another breath of his cigarette, Saito made a split-second decision.

Moving forward briskly, he sat down on the steps, beside his cousin. The two of them sat like that for a minute or so, before Saito broke the silence. "…I…was hoping it wouldn't happen like that," he muttered, the cigarette still in his mouth, "I thought…someone else would tell you…"

"………"

"Okasan herself should have told you…or maybe even Yuuji-ojisan, before he…passed away." Saito paused, growling as he inhaled down the wrong pipe and tried to stop a fit of coughing. "If it makes you feel any better, kid, I'm sorry." He sensed Aoshi tense as he finished speaking, but said nothing. He could tell that he needed to talk to someone…that he needed to let free whatever was tormenting his mind. The corners of his mouth turned upward into a smirk. _Maybe if the weasel-girl was here…she'd be able to give him a helping hand…_

"I just…don't know what to do anymore…" Aoshi's voice was barely above a whisper, and the fact that his head was bowed only served to muffle his voice even more. "What do I believe in, now? Who…and what do I trust? What…" his voice broke, rendering him unable to continue with what he had been about to say, although Saito didn't need him to continue. He could guess what he had been about to say.

Wordlessly, he reached over and gruffly draped an arm around Aoshi's shoulders, a disgruntled expression on his face as he did so. Hell, there was even a small part of him that _demanded_ to know whether he was in a proper state of mind to be doing this. Yeah, he _might_ have behaved as an 'older brother' to Aoshi – even though he was only a few months older than him – when they were much younger and his mother had had a part in raising Aoshi…but they were _long_ past that stage now.

"I don't know the answers to those questions, Aoshi," said Saito, quietly. Aoshi said nothing as the two of them sat there on the steps, different thoughts on their minds. Glancing sideways at his cousin, Saito thought he saw the glimmer of something rolling down his face, but it was gone in a flash, so he shrugged it off and turned his attention ahead. _Maybe I should have ignored what Okasan told me…and maybe I should've told him the truth earlier. _

_Or maybe you should have just kept your bloody mouth shut about Aoshi and Kaoru being an 'item.' _He shook his head inwardly. No, if he hadn't said that, then Aoshi probably wouldn't have been told the truth. Even though he was clearly hurt by it, at least he _knew_ the truth, and that was what counted. _The truth hurts, kid…you've just got to realize that…_

* * *

**Later:**

Hiko Seijiro shook his head as he walked around the athletics field, observing his team as they practiced the events he had told them to. He hadn't meant to miss the practice yesterday, but Kenshin had needed someone to _really_ knock sense into him, so he had dragged the boy out of school and had even gone to visit the grave of the girl who had perished. He could tell that Kenshin didn't feel any better about himself…but he guessed that it had to have felt good, to finally be able to tell someone what was going on.

He stopped short when he saw the group of Yahiko, Soujirou, Sano, Kenshin, Aoshi and Saito. They were supposed to be timing each other while practicing the 100 meter relay. He didn't need to be a genius to figure out that something was wrong; especially when he noticed the not-so-positive aura Aoshi was emanating. Curious, he moved forward.

"That was brilliant timing as usual, Soujirou," said Sano, clapping the boy on his back and causing him to elapse into a coughing fit. Saito, awaiting _his_ turn to run, shook his head.

"I would have thought that you'd at least try _not_ to kill your _friends_," he said, "But I guess you're just the violent type…" Kenshin shot Saito a frown.

"Ignore him, Sano," he said, taking his violet eyes off the man at least, before turning to Aoshi, who had been standing there as still as a statue. One look at his face told him that he wasn't really concentrating on what was going on around him; heck, he had even forgotten to bring a change of clothes for the practice, and was thus wearing a pair of Kenshin's shorts and one of Sano's t-shirts. He _really _seemed out of it. "Aoshi?" he asked, kindly, "Are you alright?"

Aoshi didn't answer; he just stood where he was, staring into space. Yahiko looked curiously at him before moving forward and poking him in the arm. "Yo, Aoshi…?" There was still no answer. Saito watched as little by little, the rest of their small 'group' turned to stare at Aoshi, different expressions on their faces.

"Aoshi, are you feeling ill?" asked Kenshin, getting worried, "Aoshi? _Aoshi?_"

"Leave him alone, Himura," said Saito, watching them move around Aoshi, "Now, whose turn is it to start running? Sagara? Myoujin?"

"_Look,_ you may not care, but we're trying to figure out what's _wrong_ with him, OK?" snapped Sano, glowering, "Just give us a few seconds at least." Saito raised his eyebrows.

"I'd just like to see you _try_ and get him to talk about what's bothering him," he said, sounding amused.

"Aoshi-san?" Soujirou was startled when Aoshi's head whipped up and as he stared wild-eyed around him. His ice-blue eyes finally landed on Soujirou.

"……What…?"

"Well, we were – "

" – Aoshi, are you alright?" Aoshi stared at Kenshin, wondering what his classmate was talking about. Why was he asking him whether he was alright? Didn't he _look_ alright, or was his façade slowly slipping?

"Oi oi! Did I give you six permission to talk?" asked Hiko Seijiro, from behind them, a scowl on his face, "Come on now, stop _gossiping_ like old women and _do_ what I _told_ you to!"

"Demo, sensei, something's wrong with Aoshi…" protested Yahiko, stopping only when Hiko glared at him. He glanced sharply at Aoshi, knowing that there _was_ something wrong with the boy, before shrugging.

"If there _is_ something wrong with him – at least, something wrong enough to make him faint or something, we'll know soon enough," he said, after a second, "Now, come on, start working you lot." Kenshin shook his head.

"Iie, Sensei, something _really_ is wrong with – "

" – For _heaven's_ sake, Saito, tell your cousin to snap out of it, _now_," growled Hiko, turning his glare on Saito. Saito grimaced inwardly as everyone swiveled around to look at him. "Now hurry up and record your timing, we don't have all day…and the tournament's just around the corner." With that, he turned around and sauntered off to where Shihiro and another group of athletes were practicing with the hurdles.

Soujirou and Kenshin were the first to turn their gazes away from Saito, similar thoughts running through their heads. _Oh dear…_Sano and Yahiko, however, were still staring at Saito, who had grabbed Aoshi by the arm and muttered something to him, causing the boy to glare at him, before nodding his head slowly.

Aoshi shook his head clear of whatever he had been thinking about – mainly mentally cursing Saito for dragging him to practice, but grateful all the same as it _was_ better than returning to the…Kamiya Residence along with Kaoru. He looked at the people standing next to him, oblivious to the glares that Sano and Yahiko were sending him. "Who's…going to run next…?" he asked.

"Er…well, Soujirou just finished," said Kenshin, shooting a worried glance at Sano, "I don't know, uh…Saito…?" Saito nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I'll go," he said, straightening to his full height, "Give the stop-watch to Aoshi," he added, looking distastefully at Sano who was holding it, "I don't trust this chicken-brain." With that, he moved forward, preparing himself. Kenshin, glancing again at Sano, saw that he wasn't paying any attention to what was going on and gracefully swiped the stop-watch from his hands.

"Aoshi…?" he said, handing it to him, "Saito said – "

" – Yes, I heard," was all that Aoshi said, before he grabbed the stop-watch, nodded at Saito, and pressed the 'start' button as the captain started running.

"Did I…just _hear_ that right…?" asked Yahiko, staring hard at Aoshi. The taller male glanced at him.

"…What?"

"You're…you and _Saito…_are _cousins_?" Aoshi glanced steadily at him, before nodding. _When did HE figure that out? _

"Yeah." There was a brief tense silence. Kenshin glanced uneasily at Sano, getting a bad feeling in his gut.

"Ano, Yahiko…I think Aoshi should concentrate on Saito's – "

" – You never _bothered_ to tell us, did you?" asked Sano, his voice low, "I guess it _must_ have benefited you and your…_cousin_…you being our _friend_ and all…"

"…………" Aoshi had turned back to the track where Saito was running, doing his best to ignore Sano. He already _wasn't_ in a good mood…and he did _not_ need Sano to add to it.

"Did you get a _kick_ out of…_spying_ on us?" snarled Sano, not ready to keep quiet, "…And no _wonder_ you kept on stopping me from attacking Saito; you wouldn't want you _dear cousin_ to get hurt, would you?" Aoshi glanced sharply at Sano, his ice-blue eyes glinting. _Don't push it…Sagara…if you know what's good for you…_

"And to think…" cut in Yahiko, "that we _trusted _you." He shook his head, "And all this time you didn't bother telling us…that you were _related_ to him."

"…Was there any particular _reason_ for me to tell you that?" asked Aoshi, his voice low as he shifted his gaze towards Yahiko.

"Well – "

" – No, there _wasn't_ any reason; but if you _weren't_ hiding anything, why didn't you tell us? All those times we were insulting him, couldn't you have told us? And no _wonder_ he never insulted _you_; it was always _us_ who had to get picked on by that ass," growled Sano. "And _we_ actually called you our _friend_!"

"Sano, stop it." Kenshin glanced hurriedly at Soujirou who, for once, had a serious expression on his face. _Oro…something's going wrong here…maybe I should call sensei over here…?_

Sano turned towards Soujirou, "And you know what _else_, Soujirou?" he asked, "All this time we were wondering why he was throwing _you_ dirty glances…maybe he was just…_jealous_ of your _talent_…and nothing else…"

"…_What_ did you say?" Soujirou glanced hurriedly at Aoshi, mentally wincing as he saw the expression on his usually calm face.

"I _said_ that maybe you're just _jealous_ of Soujirou's talent – I mean – "

" – If you don't know what you're talking about, _Sagara_, keep your mouth _shut_." Sano's eyes narrowed as he stared at this somehow…different Aoshi.

"I'd advice you to watch the way you talk to me, _Aoshi_," he replied, his voice low.

"And I'd – "

" – Sano, Aoshi, stop this," said Kenshin, stepping in between the two of them. "Do you know how – "

"And you know what _else_ Kenshin?" asked Sano, not taking his eyes off Aoshi, "I'm telling you that the reason Kaoru's so _down_…and the reason she was crying is all because of _him._ They live in the same house don't they? He _must_ have done something to her." Soujirou watched the taller male clench his hands into fists as he stared at Sano, and could tell immediately that Sano had stuck a nerve. _But…what could it be…? _

"You _don't know anything_," hissed Aoshi, before he dropped the stop-watch on the ground and turned on his heel, starting to walk away from them.

"Aoshi! Aoshi wait!" called Kenshin, startled at his behaviour. He had never thought that _Aoshi_ would lose his calm in…that manner. He looked helplessly back at his friends as Aoshi continued to walk away.

"That wasn't very nice, Sano," said Soujirou, quietly, as he watched Aoshi's retreating figure.

"Not very nice? That idiot _lied_ to us, Soujirou! He probably even _used_ us!" exclaimed Sano, staring at his friend in surprise. Soujirou just shook his head.

"And what if he _had_ told us that he was Saito's cousin? Wouldn't we just have been wary of him? Wouldn't we have pushed him aside right from the start?" he asked.

"Of course not," said Yahiko, indignantly, "We'd just have…_known_ that he was Saito's cousin."

"But…if that's the case, why did you talk to him like that? Just because you found out he was Saito's cousin?" If Kenshin was surprised at the fact that Soujirou was actually speaking in Aoshi's defence, he didn't show it. Instead, he merely sent a thankful prayer up to the gods above, for making sure that at least _someone_ else in their group of friends was sensible.

He was about to talk to Sano and Yahiko, a serious expression on _his_ face, when a voice interrupted them from behind. "…_Why_ is the stop-watch on the ground…?" He grimaced when he turned around and saw Saito standing there, breathing heavily and with an eyebrow raised.

"Saito…" Kenshin sweat-dropped, "You…finished…."

"Yes, I did," said Saito, "I _was_ timed, wasn't I?" Kenshin scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Ahaha…well, er, you see…Aoshi…er…"

* * *

**Kashiwazaki Residence:**

Misao held on to the sobbing girl, not knowing what else to do. Her mind was reeling with what she had just been told, and thus could not think of anything suitable to tell her…to comfort her. Instead, she just held on to her, patting the back of her head awkwardly. "Kaoru…I – " she stopped. What _could_ she say? She was sorry? She snorted mentally; yeah, sure, like saying _that_ would help Kaoru one bit.

"I just – I never thought – _Okasan_ would…would – you know…oh, Misao, imagine how _Aoshi-san_ must have felt! Being an orphan and then…then suddenly finding out that he _wasn't_ an orphan!" Kaoru paused, taking a deep, shuddering breath, "And – and Otosan…when he…found out – I just can't…believe that this happened. It's like…it's just like a very bad dream! And I don't even feel like – like going home anymore, but I know I _should._ And…and what if…what if Otosan asks Okasan to _leave?_ Where will she g-go! And…and then _Aoshi-san_ will…Misao-chan, I don't _know_ what I should do anymore! I just…don't!" Kaoru broke off as she started sobbing again, "I don't want my family to be – be split up! I mean…I…I know you won't understand because…well, your family's still together, but…but…oh god, I just can't take this anymore Misao…"

Misao tightened her arms around her friend, sympathizing with her. Yes, she may _not_ understand what it felt like to find out that she had a brother…or anything like that, and she could understand why her friend said that she didn't know what she should do anymore…but she _could_ understand her fears for her family getting split-up. _Yeah, do I understand you perfectly on that one. _

"Kaoru, please, calm down…" she whispered, patting the back of her friend's head as she just clung on to her, sobbing. She didn't know how long they stayed that way, but, eventually, Kaoru's sobs died down and she pulled back from her friend's embrace, her head bowed as she brushed the tears off her face.

"Gomen, Misao-chan…I didn't mean to wail like a little baby…" she said, her voice subdued, "It's just that…I – I _really_ don't want my family to be split up. All these years, I grew up in a stable…loving atmosphere, and now – now with Aoshi-san – " Kaoru stopped abruptly, and just stared unnervingly at Misao.

"Er…Kaoru…?"

"I can't really _blame_ Aoshi-san Misao…I mean, it's not like _he_ did anything wrong. But…but who _do_ I blame? Okasan, well, she had been in love with Yuuji-san for a long time, so…I can't blame her _or_ him…but then what about Okasan's father? He _was_ the one who forced her to marry Otosan…" Kaoru stopped again, feeling fresh tears fill her eyes, "And…and Okasan didn't even _want_ to marry Otosan…so…does it make it _my_ fault that…that Aoshi-san didn't have a…a mother?"

"Stop saying such stupid things," said Misao, sharply. "How could it have been _your_ fault, Kaoru? You were born _after_ your parents got married. Don't be stupid."

"Then…then _who_ should I blame?"

"Why _do_ you have to blame someone?" asked Misao, quietly. She saw the incredulous look that Kaoru shot her.

"Misao-chan, you…you don't understand…" she said, "I mean…all of this happening…it _has_ to be _someone's_ fault. Otherwise none of this would have happened, would it?" Misao shook her head slowly.

"Kaoru, I – "

"- No, Misao, you just don't understand. I wouldn't expect you to, either. I mean, you don't know what I'm going through right now with – "

"You're wrong, Kaoru, I _do_ know what you're going through." Misao took a deep breath. No-one apart from Soujirou knew about what had happened with _her_ parents…and now, she was going to tell Kaoru. "You see, my parents aren't…together either."

"What?" Kaoru looked startled, "Misao-chan, but…"

"No, it's true," said Misao, "My father's _not_ working abroad like I told you…and my mum and I didn't move here, to my grandfather's house just because Kachan didn't want to stay at home alone, with Otosan out of the country." She sighed, "My parents, well, they never loved each other. Yes, I _am_ their child, but they never really loved each other. It was an arranged marriage, you see…and Kachan's family only thought about the fact that Otosan was rich, and that Kachan would be comfortable with him."

She didn't see Kaoru's eyes widening as she continued to speak. "They kept on having fights…and, well, I don't know the _details_ of those fights, but, four years ago, Kachan woke me up and told me that I had to quickly pack my things. I don't remember exactly what happened, except for the fact that I asked her what things I was supposed to pack…and then, well, I _did_ what she asked me to." She played with a lock of black hair, "All my clothes, and basically whatever's in this room right now, I packed…and that afternoon, we left home, and came here."

"Misao-chan I – "

" – It wasn't _so_ bad…I mean, I remember forcing myself to think that Otosan was just _really_ going on a long holiday or business-trip or something, and that that was why we were staying with Jiya. But…as time went on, I realized what had happened; my parents had separated." Misao forced a smile on her face, wondering why it hurt to _talk_ about it even though so many years had passed. "So, yeah…I guess I'm trying to say that…I know how you feel about the splitting up of your family issue. I can _really_ relate to that."

"…Where _is_ your father now, Misao-chan?" asked Kaoru, before she mentally kicked herself, "Iie, gomen…I didn't mean to – "

Misao shook her head. "No, it's alright. He has a house close-by…around an hour's drive from here," she said, "but he's moved to Osaka for a while, doing some business. It won't be a _permanent _move – or at least, that's what he _said_…"

"Do…do you _see_ your…father…?"

"I used to go there something like every weekend…but, well, for the last month or two, I just didn't have the time…with school-work and stuff," said Misao, grimacing, "And he thought I was either ignoring him or that Kachan was not _allowing_ me to spend time with him…" She shrugged, "And these days, well, I haven't visited him because of my injuries…and I don't think that I will be able to visit him until…the tournament's over…"

Kaoru stared at her friend for a moment or two, before reaching out and hugging her tightly; practically suffocating her. "I'm _so_ sorry, Misao-chan. I _really_ had no idea. But then again, I don't pry into other people's businesses, and you didn't tell me after all. But…while I'm _sorry_, I'm also…glad that you managed to survive all of this." She pulled back, a small, genuine smile on her face, "I mean, look at _me_; here I am, at the _mature_ age of 16, wailing like an infant when _you_…are so…_strong_ – emotionally, of course…"

"Er, Kaoru…that _has_ to be the _wisest_ or _almost-wisest_ thing I've heard you say in all the time I've known you," said Misao, wanting to change the subject as soon as possible.

"Misao-chan, that's mean!" mumbled Kaoru, throwing her a weak glare, before she let out a huge sigh too. "Mou…this month's _really_ messed up, isn't it?" Misao sighed as well as she thought back to her injuries and then to her _beloved_ athletics captain.

"Tell me about it…" she muttered, before straightening up suddenly, "Kaoru, how's…_Aoshi_ taking all of this?" If Kaoru had been her usual self, she would have grinned evilly at Misao, before teasingly asking her why she wanted to know about him. As it was, she just shrugged.

"I don't know, he…keeps on avoiding me…" she mumbled, her shoulders drooping, "which is unfair in my opinion…I mean, we're _both_ suffering, aren't we?" She shuddered, "And that Saito…I really hate him, you know…"

"Aa…" agreed Misao, "I _seriously_ can't believe that he's related to _Aoshi_. I mean…well, uh…" Misao trailed off, blushing. Kaoru, unfortunately for her, looked up and saw the blush, realizing what her friend had been about to say.

"You mean since Aoshi-san's so good-looking and Saito's not?" she asked, shrewdly. Misao flushed.

"N – no…" she muttered, "Fine, _yes_…but, Saito's not _ugly_ either, you know?" She thought back to the times she had interacted with Saito…or rather, to the times he had just insulted her. "His eyes…they're an unusual colour…"

Kaoru sighed, "But then again, I guess I can't blame him, you know? If _he_ hadn't told _his_ mother that false rumor…then…Okasan wouldn't have told Aoshi-san _or_ me about what happened, and we'd have continued to live a lie." She scowled almost immediately, "So should I be _glad?_ That he said what he did?"

"I don't know Kaoru…I _really_ don't know…" The two girls stayed where they were, seated on the bed, with different thoughts on their minds. The silence that had filled the room wasn't an awkward one; instead, it was a rather comfortable one.

Misao bit her lips and turned hurriedly to Kaoru as another thought popped into her head. "Kaoru…forgive me for asking you this, but…from what you've told me, about your mother and…Aoshi…" she paused, "does that mean…Aoshi's your…brother?"

Kaoru stared hard at Misao for a minute or two, before her blue eyes started widening. "M – M – Misao-chan…!"

Misao blinked rapidly. "OK…" she said, shaking her head, "…but…do you…_want_ to have him as your brother?" Kaoru stared at her, her mouth slightly opened.

"Do I…_want_ him as a brother…?" Misao nodded. "I…" _Do I? Do I really want…Aoshi-san to…become my…brother?_

* * *

**Kamiya Residence:**

Mrs. Kamiya looked around the room, and at the half-packed suitcase that was lying open on the bed. Her eyes misted over, and yet, she turned away and continued to look through the chest of drawers, checking to see whether there was anything of hers that she should take. She impatiently brushed aside the tears that were rolling down her cheeks. Now was not the time for her to…start crying like that.

Picking up a few more items of clothing, she tossed them into the suitcase, before noticing the opened door of the bathroom. Leaving the chest of drawers as it was, she headed towards the bathroom, looking to see if there was anything there that she might want to take.

* * *

Kaoru walked into her home, biting her bottom-lip as she cautiously looked around. She guessed that her father hadn't returned home from work yet – which was probably why his car wasn't in the garage. That meant that she only had to keep an eye out for her mother, as Aoshi would get back later from athletics practice. Relieved that she didn't bump into her mother on her way towards the stairs, she took her time in climbing them.

She couldn't help but think that Misao was right; she didn't _need_ to blame anyone for what happened. What had happened in the past had already happened…so there was no way of changing it. All she needed to think about was what she should do from that moment onwards. She didn't need to answer the question her mind asked her about the situation at home. It was simple; really, no-one spoke to each other. But that didn't mean that they neglected what they usually did; no, her mother still made food for them, her father still went to work…and she and Aoshi…well, they went to work.

As she reached the next-floor, she was about to turn to her left and head to her room when she noticed that the door to her right was wide-open. She stood where she was, frowning. That was her parents room…A part of her firmly told her to just ignore it and head to her own room, asking her whether it mattered if the door was open or not. And yet, another part of her urged her to just go and peek into the room…to see if anything was…wrong. _Okasan should be the only one at home anyway…maybe I should just…check and see if she's…fainted or something?_

Her first inner-voice snorted. _Yeah? And why the hell should you do that? After all she's done to you? _Kaoru, even though she half-agreed with what the voice said, just shook her head and strode towards the room. Taking a deep breath, she hesitantly poked her head into the room. The sight that greeted her was an opened wardrobe, an opened chest of drawers…and – her blue eyes widened – an opened suitcase lying on the bed.

Being driven by something she didn't know, she moved forward, heading towards the opened suitcase. All it took was one glance at the contents of the case to recognize it as her mother's belongings. Adding to that the recent problems they had, her face paled when she realized what her mother was going to do.

_No…she – she…can't! How can she…do something like this? Leaving…leaving us…? Leaving me?_ She ran out of the room, and down the stairs, not knowing where she was going or what she was planning on doing. All that she knew was that her mother looked like she was leaving…and no-one was there to stop her.

She didn't see the person open the front door and close it behind him, before he turned around heading towards the stairs as quietly as possible. So she let out a small yelp when she bumped into him, only to be steadied in a flash. She opened her eyes and saw Aoshi standing there, looking down at her. At first, all she did was stare at him, feeling as though she hadn't seen him in a long time – which was rubbish, really. It was, however, she saw Aoshi _properly_ after…that evening.

And she wasn't surprised to see that he was looking as bad as she was; if not worse, with the only difference being that he didn't look as though he had just bawled his eyes out to a friend of his, unlike her. Realizing that he was staring, Aoshi dropped his gaze, although he had already noticed that the girl looked as bad as he did. He wondered whether he had been right to avoid her over the course of the last few days…but quickly nodded. Yes, he _was_ right; she probably blamed _him_ for everything that happened.

_And to think that stupid idiots like Sagara think…think that – _he didn't have a chance to seethe in anger as Kaoru started speaking, her voice quivering as she did so. "Ao…Aoshi-san…you…you have to d-do something…" stammered Kaoru, feeling tears well up in her eyes again, "O – Okasan…she- she's packing her bags…she's…she's _leaving_!"

Aoshi's ice-blue eyes widened. _What? She was…leaving? _"…What…?" Kaoru nodded hurriedly, looking as though she was going to lose control of herself soon.

"P – please, Aoshi-san…we – we have…we have to stop her!" wailed Kaoru, clutching the front of his light brown t-shirt, "I – I know that…that you're hurt by…by what she did, leaving you like…like that…but – " Kaoru choked on a sob, " – but…I – I don't want her to…to _leave_…p-please…"

Aoshi stared at the distraught girl standing before him, tears spilling out of her eyes. _Why should YOU stop her? That woman…she abandoned you didn't she? Left you all alone, without bothering to even show up after your father died! Why should you even bother to stop her from leaving? Wouldn't it be better for what's left of her family if she left? Didn't she allow you to believe that you were an orphan before blurting everything out to you like that? Didn't she lie to her own husband? And to her own daughter? Didn't she – _

_- Didn't she also give birth to you, making her your mother? _The inner-voices inside Aoshi's head refused to back down and allow the other to win. Gritting his teeth, Aoshi ignored them and glanced once more at Kaoru, to find her looking expectantly up at him…much like – he gulped –much like the way she had looked up at him days before, when she asked him to go for athletics practice and prevent any fight from breaking lose. Only, this time, she was actually crying. _You're turning soft, baka…_

Nodding curtly, he gently pushed past her and headed upstairs, ignoring his mind's panicked reasoning. _And what the hell are you going to TELL her to stop her? Do you have any idea how STUPID this is going to be?_

* * *

Mrs. Kamiya was doing her best to flatten the items in the almost full suit-case, in an attempt to close it. She blinked back a few tears, as she tried unsuccessfully to zip the case up. _I need to get out of here before anyone sees me…I don't deserve to stay here with them anymore…please, let me leave unnoticed. _

Using the back of her hand to brush her tears away, she turned around when she heard footsteps and her eyes widened when she caught sight of the person who had just entered her room. He was pale, and his ice-blue eyes were glinting as he just stared hard at her. She wondered whether she should attempt to smile at him, but quickly decided against it. "Aoshi…"

"…Are you…going somewhere?" Mrs. Kamiya froze. "…Are you?"

"I – Aoshi, I'm – "

" – A _direct_, _honest_ answer will _really_ be appreciated…" said Aoshi, coldly, wincing as Kaoru stepped up behind him and tightly gripped his arm. Mrs. Kamiya, he could tell, hadn't been expecting this. _She probably wanted to leave before anyone spotted her…_He watched her eyes go from him to Kaoru and back again.

"Aoshi, _please_, you don't – "

" – Understand? Is…that what you're trying to say Okasan?" asked Kaoru, speaking up and gripping Aoshi's arm harder, "Why don't you try _explaining_ for…for a change?" Mrs. Kamiya opened her mouth to answer, before she shut it again.

"I…" she rubbed her temples, sighing, before she looked up at the two children – at _her_ children – with a pleading expression on her face, "You have to understand, Aoshi, Kaoru…I…don't deserve to be here anymore. I…ruined everything, and…and the longer I stick around the…more trouble I'll probably cause, so – "

" – So giving birth to Aoshi-san means that you've…_ruined_ things?" asked Kaoru, catching on to what her mother was implying. Mrs. Kamiya shook her head hurriedly.

"No, of course not! I just…regret not being able to…stay with him," she stopped, shaking her head, "_Please_, just listen to me; you two will be more comfortable with me around, so…just…let me leave…"

Aoshi's voice was hard when he spoke, "Before _you_ think about leaving, shouldn't _I_ do that?" Kaoru and her mother glanced hurriedly at him. "You had to tell me the…_truth_ after all, only because _I _was staying here, with…you…"

"No…you _had_ to come here. Kazuko-san…did the right thing, you _had_ to come here," said Mrs. Kamiya, "You're…my…" she glanced at Kaoru who simply stared at her; "…you're my _son_, Aoshi…"

Two minutes later, Kaoru had released her grip on Aoshi's arm and ran to her mother, sobbing as she practically _jumped_ on her. She buried her head in the front of her mother's blouse, sobbing. "Don't go, _please_ don't go…please…I need you, Aoshi-san needs you…and – and even Otosan needs you…" She paused, "_Please_, Okasan, _don't_ go…"

"Kaoru I…" Mrs. Kamiya stroked the back of her daughter's head gently, "I _must_, it's the…only thing I can do. It's what's best for…for the two of you…" Kaoru stepped back, shaking her head.

"No it's not!" she said, "We _need_ you. Even…even _Aoshi-san_ needs you, Okasan!" Mrs. Kamiya glanced at the immobile boy, wondering how true that was, "Okasan, you abandoned him once…don't…_don't_ do it again."

"Kaoru – "

" – And…and I…I want Aoshi-san to stay with us…" This time, it was Aoshi's turn to look surprised. "Yes, I _want_ him to stay here." She looked at Aoshi, "I…I've always wanted another sibling…and now…I _have_ one…"

"…………"

"Kaoru, I don't think that…Aoshi wants to…stay with us…" Kaoru's face fell, before she shook her head.

"Of course he does! He does! He _wants_ to, don't you Aoshi-san…?" Aoshi found it difficult to look into the hopeful face that was staring at him and…tell her the opposite of what she thought. He looked back at Mrs. Kamiya, who was looking at him too. _See what you get yourself into, Aoshi? You should just have firmly told Aunt Kazuko that you wanted to stay with her, instead of coming to this godforsaken place. _

_Ah, but…if you DIDN'T come here, would you have met a certain energetic young lady? Like…the girl who lives next door? Who also, apparently, likes you in the same way YOU like HER?_ Aoshi mentally reprimanded the voice. Now was _not_ the time to think about…about _her._ He glanced icily at the two women in the room. "…I need to think about this…" Mrs. Kamiya nodded; she had guessed that he would say that. He wasn't Yuuji's son for nothing. _Or my son either…_

"I…understand…" she said, quietly, as Aoshi turned around and started to walk out of the room. The last thing he heard before closing the door was Kaoru's anxious voice.

"…So this means…you're _not_ going, Okasan?"

* * *

Misao grinned as she ran out of the house, closing the door on her mother's frantic warnings. As she walked out, closing the gate behind her, she smiled genuinely down at her knee; her _free_ knee. Ever-since her cast had been taken off, she had been practicing again – starting off with just a bit of walking and jogging, and then increasing it to running…at fast speeds. She hadn't tried the hurdles yet, but she didn't worry about them. Her doctor had told her that she would be able to return to school tomorrow…and then – she shivered in anticipation – three days later, it would be time for _the_ tournament.

"We _better_ win," she said aloud, to no-one in particular, as she started jogging on the side-walk. She caught a glimpse of Kaoru's house as she was jogging and the smile disappeared off her face for a brief second. _Poor Kaoru…I can just imagine what she's going through right now…_If it had been someone else, she would have invited them to come jogging with her, but…she knew that she couldn't ask _Kaoru_ that. That girl was _not_ athletic.

And – she felt bad for thinking this – but the more she spoke about _her _parents, the more _she_ remembered what had happened to _hers_. And that meant that she remembered the raised-voiced fights…the screaming and yelling…the slamming of doors…She shuddered. _Stop it. Don't think about this now. The last thing you need is for this to…enter your mind again. _

Mentally berating herself for going jogging in three-quarter length track-bottoms and a sleeveless t-shirt, she tried to block the cold evening air out, and continued with her jogging. She _had_ to do her best at the tournament. If not for her school – and for herself – then… (she blushed) to prove to Aoshi that she _was_ good at what she did.

_Misao-chan, STOP thinking about HIM too! Just focus on the tournament, that's all. The TOURNAMENT, not AOSHI._

* * *

Aoshi, for once in his life, was glad that he had listened to one of his inner-voices and had pulled on a long-sleeved shirt over the light-weight t-shirt he had put on after having a shower. And yet, despite the added layer of clothing that he was wearing, the cold evening air still managed to make him feel cold.

Shrugging, he turned his attention away from the weather, and tried to focus on the jogging that he had hoped to do. Apart from meditation, jogging was another thing that helped him calm down and free his mind of all troubling thoughts. All he had to do was focus on the task at hand, and he managed to calm down.

And yet, that wasn't working for him that day. Not when Mrs. Kamiya's _and_ Kaoru's words were rotating around in his head, _almost_ making him feel dizzy. Growling under his breath, he brushed his bangs from his eyes. He _knew_ he should just have stayed at home and meditated. _Yeah, and do you really think you would have been ABLE to do that in that atmosphere?_ He grudgingly agreed with that inner-voice of his. That _was_ true.

Unwillingly, his mind wondered off to the question he had been asked. Did he want to stay? Did he _really_ want to stay with…_them?_ With the family who _had_ taken him in after his father died, and yet…who had caused him _far_ more problems than he could count. _What the hell? Yeah, fine, they may have caused you problems…but they brought you good times too, didn't they? _

What good times?

_Didn't you…make friends quickly, after you transferred schools?_

Friends? They're…_not_ friends. They're…acquaintances. Besides, from what happened earlier, Sagara's _definitely_ no friend. Neither is Yahiko.

_But do you remember who stood up for you? Who AT LEAST told Sagara to stop what he was doing?_

…Soujirou…

_Exactly. And Kenshin didn't seem to care if you were related to Saito or not, did he?_

…Kenshin's…well, that's just the type of person he is…

_Didn't you feel…touched that someone actually asked you for help? Like when Kaoru asked you for help that day?_

Can we not talk about that please? I still think that was the biggest mistake of my life.

_Was it?_

Yes.

_If you HADN'T done that, you wouldn't have managed to get closer to HER._

I have no idea who you're talking about.

_Really? You don't know the bubble, cheerful, black-haired, blue-eyed, cute little girl that happened to catch your interest?_

What? She hasn't.

_For god's sake, just ADMIT that you have a crush on her, will you?_

Why should I?

_Because it's true. _

No it's not.

_Yes it is._

No, it's _NOT_. Besides, I still don't know what girl you're talking about, so I – Aoshi was forced to break off the debate/conversation that was going on in his head when he rounded the corner and, not paying any attention to where he was going, bumped into someone who seemed to have been turning the corner too.

" – What the – " He regained his balance immediately and turned sharply towards the person he had jogged into. His eyes widened as the panting girl looked up at him, an apologetic look on her face.

"Go – gomen," she panted, "I…I just wasn't paying – " Her voice trailed off when she saw him. "…A – Aoshi…?" Aoshi didn't know whether her appearance here was a good thing, or a bad thing. As it was, he finally tore his eyes off her, shaking his head. _That's the girl I was talking about._

"No, it was…my fault, I wasn't concentrating on where I was going," he said, bowing his head. Misao flashed him an uncertain grin.

"I guess we both have other things on our mind then, eh?" she asked, before the grin disappeared. _Of course he wasn't concentrating on where he was going! He was…probably thinking about…about Kaoru and Mrs. Kamiya…and – and – _

Aoshi stared at her once more, wondering why a slightly horrified expression had found its' way on to her face. "You're…actually jogging? Out here?" Misao shot him a strange look.

"Y…yes," she said, "Why?" _For god's sake STOP blushing!_

"You're injuries…?" _Remember what was written in Kaoru-san's notebook? About Misao liking you back?_

"Oh, those…" mumbled Misao, "Well, the cast's off, as you probably can see…and the doctor said I can come back to school tomorrow!" Misao suddenly looked excited – and seemed to have forgotten that she was talking to _Aoshi_ – "I've _really_ missed that place! You won't believe it, but I've even missed running to class when I'm late, groaning when we get loads of homework…and meeting all my friends who, I might add, seem to have forgotten all about me for the past two days…"

Aoshi couldn't help but feel the urge to smile wryly when he saw her glance at him, realize _he_ was there, and immediately turn red. He wondered whether she _always_ did this. _Probably just when you're around. _"…Sorry," he said, "But…we've…all been busy…"

Misao nodded, "Yeah," she _said_, before she could stop herself, "Kaoru told me all about what happened at home." She clapped a hand over her mouth. _Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Can you get any _more _idiotic?_ "I'm sorry! I'm _really_ sorry – I just…I couldn't – " Aoshi shook his head.

"No, don't worry about it," he found himself saying, "…I guess…Kaoru-san _had_ to tell someone about it…" The two of them stood where they were, before Misao swallowed and spoke once more.

"Shall we, uh, continue with our jogging?" she asked, "If you'd like to, of course – " Aoshi shot her a _small_ smile.

" – That sounds good." They continued to jog in silence, before Misao started talking again.

"Did you…see Kaoru at home?" she asked, timidly. Aoshi nodded slowly.

"…Yes…"

"Is she…does she seem…OK?"

Aoshi shook his head. "…Not really…" he muttered. _And do I 'seem' OK either?_

"You…don't seem OK either…" said Misao, biting her lip and forcing herself _not_ to lower her head as he turned around to look at her. Aoshi looked at her for a few seconds, before shrugging and turning his attention ahead of him. Out of the corner of his eye however, he saw Misao bow her head, before she shivered and wrapped her arms around her, as a cold breeze blew past them.

A second later, Misao stopped jogging when she noticed that Aoshi had come to a halt, and she stared at him as he shrugged HIS unbuttoned shirt off. If she hadn't noticed that he was wearing a t-shirt underneath, she was quite sure that she would have fainted. As it was, she almost _did_, when he turned to her and, in a swift gesture, wrapped the shirt over her shoulders.

"It's cold." He couldn't help but smirk – yes _he_ actually _smirked_ – when, with the help of one of the streetlights, he saw the cute tinge of red that entered her cheeks.

"T – thank-you…" stammered Misao, wondering whether there was _anything_ she could do to keep herself from blushing. She started jogging when he started again, and didn't notice that she was chewing on her lip. _Say something Misao-chan…come on, say something!_ "Ano, Aoshi…?" Aoshi nodded to show her that he was listening, "Uh…do you…jog often?" _W-H-A-T! Couldn't you think of anything BETTER to ask!_

Aoshi _was_ amused at her attempts to start up a conversation, and he allowed himself to show it by placing a soft smile on his face. "Only when I need to…clear my mind." Misao nodded, although inside, she was practically shivering in fear – lest she mess up this conversation again.

"Oh…" there was another pause, "Er…you need to clear your mind now, then?" He heard a somewhat muffled curse escape from her mouth, and shook his head inwardly. If he had hoped that _jogging_ would take his mind off his…problems, he had been right in a way; only it was jogging with a certain person that actually helped.

"Yes, I…do," he said, quietly, as he couldn't help but wonder why he was being so…open with her. Well, more open than he _usually_ was.

"I'm sorry…" said Misao, as she actually _wore_ his shirt, doing her best not to inhale the…scent of, well, _him_ that was stuck on the shirt, assailing her senses, "I'll leave you alone now then…" Aoshi actually stopped running.

"…What?"

"You…want to clear you mind," said Misao, "And – " she grinned, "I'm not exactly the best person to hang around with, if you want to clear your mind…"

"…Don't worry," mumbled Aoshi, "It's…fine."

"You sure?" asked Misao, frowning slightly, "Coz there's no need to just say that without really meaning it…I mean, I _am_ a bit…uh, naïve," she paused, "And _they_ say that just because until now, the only _males_ I've been in love with were _Rukawa Kaede_ from the anime series _Slam Dunk_ and _Guru Clef_ and _Eagle_ from _Magic-Knight Rayearth._ Oh, and _Kurei and Joker_ from _Flame of Recca,_ but…come on! What's wrong with _that?_" She scowled.

Aoshi stared at her, his ice-blue eyes slightly wider than usual. _She…she's in love with…anime characters?_ His inner-voice seemed to rise again, as it immediately said; _Don't be jealous, Aoshi, she DID say 'until now' so you KNOW what that means! And besides, how can Clef, Joker, Kurei, Eagle or even Rukawa be any competition to you? _

Misao let out an indignant huff. "And I'm told I'm _way_ too loud for my own good – " She stopped abruptly when Aoshi nodded fervently. Her eyes narrowing, she reached out and grabbed his arm – surprising the both of them.

" – "

" – So you _agree_, do you?" she asked, dangerously, "that I _am_ too loud for my own good? And that…I'm naïve?" Aoshi stared at the shorter girl who was standing before him, dressed in a pair of three-quarters and – his insides lurched – _his_ shirt, one hand grabbing his arm and her eyes narrowed as she looked up at him. He couldn't help but chuckle. _She WAS naïve…and loud…but – _he blushed – _in a good way. She was really unlike any other girl he had met before…In love with ANIME characters as opposed to real human-beings…_

"Yes," he found himself saying, as he – for some _unknown_ reason – brought his other hand up and placed it over her one that was grabbing his arm, "I _do_ think you're naïve and loud." He did not take his eyes away from hers, "And, believe it or not, that's a _good_ thing." He squeezed her hand gently, seeing her eyes shift to their hands, before back to his face and she blushed. "A very good thing…Misao."

Misao could have stayed where she was, her arm grabbing his, his other arm squeezing hers, their eyes locked in a…hard gaze. She really _could_ have. Hell, she _certainly_ would have…

If her stomach hadn't chosen _that_ particular moment to give out a _low_ rumble.

Her blue-eyes widened in horror as she stared at him before glancing down at her stomach, just as her face turned a…shade of _purple?_ Smiling inwardly, Aoshi gently pried her hand off his, squeezing it once more, before letting go. "We should get back," he said, as he turned around.

Misao stared after him, a thousand curses – aimed at her stomach and its bad timing – racing around in her head. "No, w-wait! I'm…I don't mind, we _c-can_ jog some more if you – "

"…Let's just get back, Misao," said Aoshi, looking at her out of his alluring ice-blue eyes, "…It's getting late anyway." He patiently waited for Misao to join him, not wanting to leave her alone on the road at _this_ time. _Yeah, that's the excuse EVERYONE uses, pal…when they just want to spend more time with the girl of their dreams. _Ignoring his inner-voice, he looked at Misao, an eyebrow raised as he did so.

Aware that it was going to look rather bad if she stubbornly stayed where she was, Misao sighed before placing a smile on her face, "Yeah, c'mon, let's get back," she agreed, although she was screaming inside at how unfair life was. The two of them jogged back to their homes in companionable silence, asking a question or two about school every five minutes or so.

* * *

**A/N**

Now that, was LONG. Yikes! Once again, I want to apologize for not keeping my promise to finish this fic this year. And it doesn't help in any way when I'm spending the last evening and night of the year in bed, taking antibiotics every now and then due to enlarged and infected tonsils and fever.

# sigh # It's just NOT my day.

Oh well, at least I hope the chapter was good! And, of course, best wishes for the New Year to everyone! I hope you all have a bright and prosperous 2006! And keep smiling!

See ya soon!

Siriusgirl1


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